Turkic Academy organized a Roundtable Discussion on government policies and international cooperation in the protection, restoration, and conservation of historical and cultural monuments in the Turkic World, which was held in Susha, the Republic of Azerbaijan, on 14 October 2023 as a part of the Ist Turkic World Cultural Forum, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev.
The roundtable brought together heads of cultural heritage institutions from Turkic countries and was co-chaired by Mr. Shahin Mustafayev, the President of Turkic Academy, and Ms. Sabina Hajiyeva, the Head of the State Service for Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The event provided a platform for the cultural heritage institutions to share experiences, exchange ideas, and develop approaches for promoting and preserving the common cultural heritage of the Turkic World. The participants highlighted practices and strategies of their countries in the restoration and preservation of cultural and historical heritage and expressed readiness to join forces and collaborate in preserving and promoting the tangible and intangible Turkic cultural heritage, including cooperation in recording and digitally preserving the cultural heritage. Turkic Academy and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly presented the concept note on establishing the Turkic World Cultural Routes Program, which was prepared by Turkic Academy and whose objectives include the preservation of cultural heritage, cultural exchange and collaboration, and economic development through tourism. The representatives of the cultural heritage institutions recognized the importance of developing and promoting various types of tourism packages and cultural routes to better utilize the Turkic countries’ rich cultural and historical heritage and natural attractions. They welcomed the Turkic World Cultural Routes Program and committed to supporting it and collaborating in this direction. The Shusha Declaration adopted by the Ist Turkic World Cultural Forum’s participants acknowledged the significance of establishing the Turkic World Cultural Routes Program and called for its realization.
