Today, Baku hosted an international conference on "Protection of Prehistoric Human Settlements: Threats and Modern Approaches".
The opening session featured speeches by Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan Adil Kerimli, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, UNESCO Director for Culture and Emergencies Krista Pikkat, Secretary General of TURKSOY Sultan Raev, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan Isa Habibbeyli, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova and other distinguished scholars and cultural experts.
The conference addressed pressing global challenges such as climate change, urbanization and the destruction of historical heritage.
In his address, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev emphasized that the preservation of ancient settlements and historical monuments is not merely an academic pursuit but a collective societal responsibility. He noted that the material remains of ancient civilizations serve as essential links in the chain of human history and their loss distorts our understanding of the past.
"It is crucial to promote a scientific approach to studying history and counter the spread of unscientific, religious-mythological and oversimplified interpretations," Mustafayev said.
He concluded by reaffirming the Turkic Academy's commitment to collaborating closely with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and other relevant institutions to safeguard and advance cultural heritage research.
