Azerbaijan presents at the UN a program to protect the heritage of small island states - PHOTO

On September 23, as part of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Azerbaijan's international technical assistance program aimed at preserving the cultural and natural heritage of small island developing states was presented.

This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

It is reported that the event on the topic "From Island Heritage to World Heritage," organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was attended by ministers of small island states, their permanent representatives to the UN, members of the diplomatic corps, and other high-ranking officials.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Yalchin Rafiyev noted that strengthening practical capabilities and expanding international cooperation are of particular importance for protecting the cultural and natural heritage of small island states facing climate change and other environmental threats.

Emphasizing Azerbaijan's commitment to cooperation and international solidarity in this field, the deputy minister stated that our country will annually provide technical assistance to three island states in compiling preliminary lists as part of preparations for the nomination process for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It was announced at the event that the first pilot stage of the program will cover Guinea-Bissau, Palau, and the Dominican Republic. The foreign ministers of Guinea-Bissau and Palau, as well as a high-ranking representative of the Dominican Republic, who spoke at the event, expressed gratitude to the government of Azerbaijan for including their countries in the pilot stage.

In their speeches, the ministers of Grenada, the Republic of Maldives, and the Bahamas also assessed the program as a timely and targeted initiative that meets the needs of small island states. Representatives of Germany, Turkey, Russia, and other countries who joined the discussions emphasized that the program will contribute to the development of international partnership and the protection of world heritage.

The event continued with a discussion of practical issues concerning the implementation of the program. Within its framework, the training of more than 80 local specialists from 39 island states is envisaged.