Kyiv offers Baku creating cross-border nomination in UNESCO

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has appealed to the Azerbaijani Culture Ministry with a request to consider the possibility of further cooperation on the creation of a cross-border nomination in UNESCO, Svitlana Fomenko, deputy minister of culture of Ukraine for European integration, said in an interview with Report.

"The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, within its competence, will continue to make efforts to strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan, in particular within UNESCO. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has asked the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture to consider the possibility of further cooperation on the creation of a cross-border nomination because the Ukrainian archaeological monument ‘Kamyana Mohyla’ (stone grave) and the Azerbaijani UNESCO site Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape have a common criterion for determining the outstanding universal value. They are unique, exclusive evidence of cultural tradition and ancient civilizations," the deputy minister said.

Fomenko reminded that the 1997 Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan is the legal basis for ensuring cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan in the field of culture.

"Over the past years, as part of this Agreement, as well as the Program of Cooperation in the Sphere of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan for 2016-2020, Ukrainian cultural workers, creative teams, specialists in the field of culture took an active part in international exhibitions, festivals, competitions, symposia, conferences, seminars and other cultural events that were held in Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijani cultural and art workers took part in relevant international events that were held in Ukraine," she said.

"Active cooperation is also taking place in the field of museum sphere, in particular, it is worth noting the cooperation of the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko and the Azerbaijan National Art Museum, the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Reserve, and the Keshikchidag State Historical and Cultural Reserve, as well as the Scientific Restoration Centre for Museum Values and Relics of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan," she added.

She added that cooperation in tourism between Ukraine and Azerbaijan is regulated by the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Azerbaijan on cooperation in tourism from 1999.

"In accordance with Article 6 of the above-mentioned agreement, on December 18, 2020, the First Meeting of the Working Group on Cooperation in Tourism was held in the format of a videoconference, during which the parties discussed ways of cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan in the field of tourism, including taking into account the consequences of the COVID pandemic, the potential for the development of cooperation in the field of health tourism and more," the deputy minister said.

At the same time, due to the COVID pandemic, practical activities in the field of culture and tourism between the two countries were limited last year, she added.

Maryna Goncharuk