Work is underway to have the Azerbaijani cities of Baku and Ganja named the UNESCO World Book Capitals, the country’s deputy minister of culture, Saadat Yusifova, said at a conference held on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day, News.Az reports.  

The conference on the topic “Ancient texts and classical sources expose Armenian falsifications and fabrications, or the realities of Zangezur, which is an ancestral Azerbaijani-Turkic land” was held within the “Year of Heydar Aliyev” declared in Azerbaijan.

Deputy Minister Yusifova said that the World Book and Copyright Day established by UNESCO is celebrated on April 23 in more than 100 countries around the world.

She noted that books have played an exceptional role in shaping the history and culture of mankind.

"The Azerbaijani people have a rich literary heritage that goes back to ancient times. Our people gave the world such famous poets as Nizami Ganjavi, Muhammad Fuzuli, Shah Ismail Khatai, Molla Panah Vagif, Khurshidbanu Natavan and Samad Vurgun," Yusifova said.

"Ancient Ganja, which gave the world such a genius as Nizami Ganjavi, as well as Azerbaijan's capital Baku are famous for their rich book traditions," she said, adding that Azerbaijan is working to submit its Baku and Ganja cities to UNESCO to possibly have them named World Book Capitals.

The WBC is an initiative of UNESCO which recognizes cities for promoting books and fostering reading for a year starting on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day. For example, UNESCO named Strasbourg as World Book Capital for 2024.

Cities designated as World Book Capitals by UNESCO undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and population groups, within and beyond their borders, and to organize a program of activities throughout the year.

The World Book Day and Copyright is celebrated by UNESCO's decision dated November 15, 1995. In turn, Azerbaijan has been celebrating this day since 1996.

News.Az