On March 14, an international scientific-practical conference on “Preservation of Prehistoric Human Settlements: Threats and Modern Approaches” was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The event was attended by scientists, researchers, experts, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations and media from several countries.

According to Medeniyyet.info.az, the participants first familiarized themselves with an exhibition of artifacts discovered from ancient settlements in Azerbaijan.

The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Adil Karimli, addressed the participants, welcoming them. He stated that the goal of the conference is to discuss new ideas and solutions for the preservation, promotion, research, and recognition of the oldest examples of cultural heritage. Additionally, the event aims to strengthen international and regional cooperation, develop new strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage, and create mechanisms for their implementation.

The Minister noted that the most valuable elements of Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage are the prehistoric human settlements located in the country. Numerous ancient settlements, particularly cave camps such as Azykh, Taghlar, and Damjili, as well as the Gobustan rock carvings, play a crucial role in studying the stages of human civilization’s development. These monuments are considered the cradle of civilization and culture, and they hold exceptional importance for researching the physical and spiritual development of humans, their path to perfection, labor habits, lifestyles, and migration routes.

Ancient human settlements are also valuable sources for scientific research in history, archaeology, ethnography, and cultural studies, as they represent the initial formation and flourishing of the cultural heritage of peoples.

Adil Karimli stated that the Ministry of Culture is ready to contribute to joint scientific expeditions in such historical and cultural monuments, discuss the results at the international level, and importantly, publish the research findings in both scientific and mass media to promote them among the general public and pass them on to future generations. He added, “We are also interested in working with international partners and leading foreign scientific circles in this direction.”

This is not coincidental, as the national cultural policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev ensures the protection, restoration, and promotion of all our cultural heritage, including historical and cultural monuments, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation. As the head of state has noted, “Multiculturalism is the way of life of the Azerbaijani people.”

As a state that has experienced the occupation of part of its territory for nearly 30 years due to military aggression, we have lived through this bitter reality. Historical monuments were destroyed, and ancient artifacts belonging to our people were looted by the occupying forces. Additionally, illegal archaeological expeditions were conducted in the Azykh Cave, one of the oldest human settlements in the world.

In this regard, I believe that the discussions should also touch upon improving existing mechanisms and expanding monitoring capabilities of international organizations. The approval of the Monitoring Mechanisms framework under the Second Protocol of the 1954 Convention by UNESCO at the end of 2023 was a very progressive step. This mechanism should be effective not only during and after conflicts but also in times of peace. Moreover, it is important for states to use this mechanism in responding to calls for the protection of extraterritorial cultural heritage.

At the end of his speech, the Minister wished success to the conference.

The opening ceremony also featured speeches by the President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Academician Isa Habibbeyli; the President of the International Turkic Academy, Academician Shahin Mustafayev; the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Aktoty Raimkulova; the Secretary-General of TURKSOY, Sultan Raev; UNESCO’s Director for Culture and Emergencies, Krista Pikkat; and the President of the Islamic Cooperation Organization’s Cultural Institute, Saad S. Khan, who emphasized the importance of the event.

“Ancient Human Settlements as the Cradle of Cultural Heritage”

The conference continued with panel sessions. The first panel session of the day was dedicated to the topic “Ancient Human Settlements as the Cradle of Cultural Heritage.” Moderated by Araz Baghirli, Head of the International Cooperation Sector at the Ministry of Culture, the panel featured a keynote speech by Webber Ndoro, Director of the Islamic World Heritage Center. Subsequent discussions were led by David Lordkipanidze, Director General of the Georgian National Museum; Krym Altynbekov, founder and head of the Scientific Restoration Laboratory in Kazakhstan, artist-restorer, and academician; Farhad Guliyev, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences; and Sara Garcês, Professor at the Tomar Polytechnic University in Portugal.

“Ancient Human Settlements in the Face of Climate Change and Armed Conflicts”

The next panel of the conference was dedicated to the topic “Ancient Human Settlements in the Face of Climate Change and Armed Conflicts.”

Moderated by Nazli Ahmadova, Chair of the Business Law Committee at the Bar Association and Director of the “Apex” law firm, the session featured a keynote speech by Farid Jafarov, Deputy Minister of Culture, who spoke about the impact of climate change on cultural heritage. He noted that in recent years, various steps have been taken by international organizations to protect cultural values.

Mohsen Abulnaga, Professor at Cairo University (Egypt) and UNESCO expert, discussed UNESCO’s work related to urban planning.

José Luís de Negreiros Monteiro, Chief Archaeologist at the Cultural Heritage Institute under the Portuguese Ministry of Culture, spoke about the long-term and short-term effects of climate change on artifacts.

Oğuz Ceylan, Professor at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Turkey, restorer-architect, and Funda Ayberk, Lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture at Halic University, discussed the preservation of archaeological sites.

Alessandro Chechi, Professor of Law at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and cultural heritage expert, shared his thoughts on the protection of historical and cultural heritage during conflicts.

Alessia Kush, Professor at the CAMNES Center for Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies at the University of Siena (Italy) and international expert on the illegal trafficking of cultural property, discussed ways to prevent the illegal trafficking of cultural monuments.

Rashad Allahverdiyev, Deputy Head of the Biodiversity Conservation Service at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, shared his thoughts on the specific cultural and natural heritage of our country.

“Azerbaijan’s Ancient Human Settlements as Part of World Heritage: The Need for Urgent Protection”

On March 14, the final panel session of the conference was dedicated to the topic “Azerbaijan’s Ancient Human Settlements as Part of World Heritage: The Need for Urgent Protection.”

Moderated by Elman Abdullayev, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO, the session began with a speech by Saadat Yusifova, Deputy Minister of Culture, who noted that the protection of cultural and natural heritage in our country has always been a priority. She mentioned that during the thirty-year occupation, thousands of cultural treasures of Azerbaijan were looted by Armenia. The Deputy Minister expressed hope that the ideas discussed at the conference would have a significant impact on the preservation of cultural heritage both in Azerbaijan and beyond its borders.

Raymond Bondin, Director of Heritage Management Consultants and international expert on cultural heritage, spoke about ways to promote Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage on a global scale.

Professor Yoshihiro Nishiaki, Director of the Tokyo University Museum (Japan), provided information on research conducted in Azerbaijan’s Middle Paleolithic caves.

Azad Zeynalov, Leading Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, discussed the uniqueness of the Azykh Cave, an ancient settlement in Azerbaijan. Əjdər Babazadə, an employee of the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic (Eneolithic) Archaeology Department, spoke about new research conducted in the Azykh Cave.

Nicola Laneri, a member of the Azerbaijan-Italy joint expedition at Tavatapa, discussed the burial mounds discovered during archaeological excavations in Azerbaijan.

Professor Roman Lolua from the Caucasus Studies Research and Educational Institute at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georgia) discussed research related to the alphabet of the Caucasian Albanian state.

Sabina Hajiyeva, Head of the State Service for the Protection, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, provided information on the work carried out by her organization.

After the speeches, the final declaration of the scientific conference was adopted.

It should be noted that on March 15, conference participants will visit the Azykh Cave in the Khojavand district, and on March 16, they will visit the Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve and the Khudavang Monastery in the Kalbajar district.

The international scientific conference is being held with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Presidential Special Representations in Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts, and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.