Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

A meeting was held at the Presidium of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) with Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Head of the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive, Mauro Mantovani, Executive Director of the Vatican Apostolic Library, and Rocco Ronzani, Executive Director of the Vatican Apostolic Archive.

Addressing the meeting, held at the ANAS Presidium, President of ANAS Academician Isa Habibbeyli stated that National Leader Heydar Aliyev played an exceptional role in shaping the international standing of modern Azerbaijan and laid the solid foundations of the country's independent statehood. He emphasized that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has entered a new stage of development and is today rapidly progressing, having earned recognition as one of the influential countries in the world.

The President of ANAS noted that Azerbaijan had for many years been subjected to Armenia’s policy of occupation, during which the historical, religious and cultural heritage of Karabakh suffered severe destruction, including the devastation of mosques and cemeteries. He stressed that the Victory in Karabakh was a historic achievement attained under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and noted that extensive reconstruction and restoration works meeting modern standards are currently being carried out throughout the region.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasized that cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Vatican has reached a high level, noting that President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva attach special importance to relations with the Holy See.

Speaking about the significant role of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in developing Azerbaijan’s international cultural relations, Academician Isa Habibbeyli noted that, through numerous projects implemented in different countries around the world, the Foundation has made an important contribution to promoting Azerbaijan’s historical and cultural heritage. He recalled that in September last year, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive. He described the document as a remarkable example of mutual trust and shared responsibility. He also noted that the Memorandum has created new opportunities for scientific research and announced that, within its framework, a researcher from the ANAS Institute of History and Ethnology will soon be seconded to the Vatican for a six-month research mission.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli stressed that one of the first priorities of the joint cooperation should be the preparation of a catalogue of archival materials, manuscripts and documents related to Azerbaijan preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive. He noted that the Institute of Manuscripts named after Muhammad Fuzuli and the ANAS Central Scientific Library possess extensive experience in this field. According to him, such a catalogue would become an important scholarly resource for future researchers. He added that although research has so far focused mainly on history, the Vatican collections also contain rich materials relating to literature, art, culture and other fields. He expressed confidence that close cooperation between specialists from both sides would produce fruitful results.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli stated that scholarly works prepared on the basis of materials preserved in the Vatican collections would make significant contributions both to the advancement of Azerbaijani science and to world scholarship.

Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Head of the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive, thanked the hosts for their warm hospitality and expressed his pleasure at visiting Azerbaijan. He also conveyed his gratitude to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and to Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the Holy See for their contribution to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi noted that the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive preserve a vast collection of valuable books, manuscripts, archival materials and historical documents. He emphasized the importance of implementing practical joint projects within the framework of the Memorandum.

The Archbishop also expressed his support for the initiative to prepare a catalogue of archival materials and documents related to Azerbaijan preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive, noting that such a catalogue would greatly facilitate the work of researchers in the future.

Executive Director of the Vatican Apostolic Library Mauro Mantovani and Executive Director of the Vatican Apostolic Archive Rocco Ronzani also addressed the meeting. They expressed their admiration for Baku’s historical architecture and their interest in strengthening cooperation with Azerbaijani scholars. They noted that the exchange of expertise in inventorying collections, catalogue preparation and other related fields would contribute significantly to the future development of bilateral cooperation.

Following the speeches, the parties exchanged commemorative gifts and posed for a group photograph. The guests also toured the ANAS Presidium building.

Among those attending the meeting were Ilgar Mukhtarov, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the Holy See, and Soltan Mammadov, Member of Parliament and Head of the International Relations Department of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

It should be noted that in September last year, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive. The Memorandum was signed by Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Head of the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive.

Translation by Gulhane Aghayeva, Department of Public Relations, Press, and Information, Presidium of ANAS.

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