Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture Adil Karimli has addressed the plenary session on "Cultural sovereignty as the basis of state identity" held on the sidelines the 9th International Cultural Forum in St. Petersburg.

Minister Adil Karimli highlighted the history of Azerbaijani culture, emphasizing that representatives of different nations and religions have lived together in peace and tolerance in the country for centuries. He also informed about the conceptual foundations of modern cultural policy based on the state-building traditions of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as state programs, investment projects and support measures implemented in the field of cultural heritage protection under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

Karimli noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, plays an exceptional role in implementing national and international projects aimed at protection and promotion of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.