October 6, 2008

Participants of 4th session of Islamic Countries` Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research visit Heydar Aliyev Foundation

Participants of the 4th Session of the Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Countries have visited the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, October 6.

Guests were informed of objectives of the Foundation established in memory of national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev.

 

They were familiarized with the exhibits taken from the archive of the great leader reflecting separate eras of his activity, numerous documents reflecting the very various moments of genius person’s life and creating a detailed idea of the entire history of Azerbaijan, documentary photographs displaying large-scale actions of outstanding political figure Heydar Aliyev, informed the national leader has rendered huge care and attention to development of education and science in all periods of his leadership in Azerbaijan.

 

Then, visitors watched a documentary on Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

 

Later, Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP, met with the Session participants.

 

Mehriban Aliyeva said:

 

Dear guests, I greet you in Azerbaijan and welcome to Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

 

I specially greet Director General of ISESCO Mr Abdulaziz bin Othman al-Tuveyjri. I am very delighted to see him in our country once again. I believe the 4th Session of the Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Countries will be successful, fruitful and make its worthy contribution to more successful development of our countries in this sphere. 

 

As you know, Azerbaijan is one of the very rapidly developing countries in the world. It is four years that Azerbaijan is the leader in the world for economic growth and this development is reflected in all spheres of our life. Over 700,000 new workplaces have been opened in our country for past 5 years. Every field develops, new roads are constructed. More than 1500 new schools were built in the country over the past 5 years. Social problems are settled. Poverty has sharply dropped for past several years. Budget of the country has increased more than 10 times during 5 years.

 

Certainly, it all opens nice outlooks before our country. On this point, education is the most important direction in the state policy. Everyone knows the biggest wealth to every state is its intellectual potential. Just for this reason, a number of large-scale projects are performed now in field of education in the country. As I mentioned, construction of 1500 new schools last years, repair of several higher schools and improvement of their logistics, more than 1000 students of our country who get education at the most advanced higher schools in the world due to the state support. All secondary schools are computerized and supplied with the latest appliances.

 

In a word, all opportunities are opened in the country for education of the youth and we aim to assure education meeting the highest world standards in our country. I am confident today’s session will also make contribution to this field. I know that visitors have come to this session from a number of countries and perhaps they are interested in successes, experience of Azerbaijan in this sphere and it will be analyzed in the session.

 

I want to mention very firm cooperation between ISESCO and Heydar Aliyev Foundation. We have executed several joint projects in field of education and other spheres. A big conference ‘Expansion of role of women in the dialog of cultures’ was held this June in Baku due to support of ISESCO and Heydar Aliyev Foundation. In this conference, too, we rendered very serious attention to education issues. The conference caused a big resonance and we decided to traditionally hold it in Baku every 2 years. Our cooperation with ISESCO in this course continues and I believe we will implement more new projects in future.

 

I again greet you in Azerbaijan. I am much pleased to see you. I wish great success to the session.

 

From the very first day of its establishment Heydar Aliyev Foundation has declared attention to education a priority in its action. We have realized a lot of projects in this sphere. Today, I can say with great pride that first 200 new schools have been constructed just by the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Later, the state supported this initiative and number of newly built schools reached 1500. You probably received detailed information on our activities from the film. This is why I do not want to speak much about this. I want to say Heydar Aliyev Foundation is always ready for close cooperation with every international organization and country in the directions advantageous for development of our country in field of education and other fields. Thank you. I wish you success twice.

Expressing gratitude for hospitality on behalf of the participants of the Session Director General of ISESCO Mr Abdulaziz bin Othman al-Tuveyjri talked of high-level cooperation between the organization he leads and Heydar Aliyev Foundation, stressing the big role of Goodwill Ambassador of ISESCO Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva in this field.

 

Talking of popularization of Islam in the world more widely as the religion of peace, science, education, modernity the Director General of ISESCO valued action of Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva as a pattern in this course.

 

Noting importance of the 4th Session of the Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Islamic Countries held in Baku he said such events indicate attention paid in the Islamic world to science, education and progress.

 

Abdulaziz bin Othman al-Tuveyjri emphasized the role of Azerbaijan in Islamic world, recalled that Baku has been declared the capital of the Islamic culture for 2009. He expressed confidence cooperation between ISESCO and Heydar Aliyev Foundation will be developing.

 

Expressing honor for being the Goodwill Ambassador of ISESCO Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva said cooperation of Heydar Aliyev Foundation with ISESCO, in particular actions in field of popularization of the true Islam values in the world will be enlarging.

 

Recalling Azerbaijan actively operates in frame of OIC after being member of this organization M.Aliyeva stated sessions of foreign affairs, tourism ministers of member countries of the organization were held in Baku, and session of the ministers of higher education and scientific research is underway at the moment. This session will contribute to development of our relations.

 

Touching upon works done by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in field of education Mrs Aliyeva talked of international projects in this course, noting construction of a new modern school building for girls in Muzaffarabad City of Pakistan due to the support of the Foundation.

 

Mehriban Aliyeva said Heydar Aliyev Foundation is always ready to cooperate with ISESCO in this direction and will take active part in the events to be held in the next year within the Islamic Culture Year.