News

On October 1, within the framework of the 11th Baku International Book Fair, an international conference on “The Role of Libraries in the Preservation of National and Spiritual Values” was held at the Baku Expo Center. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Library of Azerbaijan.

The conference was opened by Professor Karim Tahirov, Director of the Azerbaijan National Library, who welcomed the guests. He noted with pride the recent increase in interest in books. He emphasized that libraries serve not only as repositories of national and spiritual values but also play a crucial role in their reliable preservation and transmission to future generations. Highlighting that books and published materials are key components of national and spiritual values, he stressed the importance of increasing attention to their protection and preservation, noting that libraries have a vital role in fulfilling this mission.

Polad Bulbuloglu, Chairman of the Culture Committee of the National Assembly and People’s Artist, greeted the attendees. He emphasized that books have always been preserved and cherished in Azerbaijan and around the world for generations. He stated that the book is a unique world deserving constant respect. The committee chairman also highlighted the importance of international book fairs and stressed the necessity of increasing young people’s interest in books. He affirmed that the main goal is the preservation of books and our national and spiritual values.

Speeches were delivered by Ayhan Tuglu, Director of Library and Publications at  the Presidency of the Republic of Turkiye, Afat Abbasova, Doctor of Philology and Professor, Director of the Presidential Library under the Administration of the President of Azerbaijan, Muhammad Adil Embarch, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Azerbaijan, Associate Professor Alamdar Jabbarli, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Document Management at Baku State University, and Seham Alezam, Director of the National Library of Kuwait.

The speakers emphasized that libraries are sacred places that unite the nation’s memory, knowledge, and culture, preserving books. They noted that the preservation of national and spiritual values reflects respect for our history, present, and future. Special attention was paid to the care and support given to books and libraries by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as his contributions to enriching library collections. The significance of the International Book Fair was highlighted, and the importance of establishing cooperation between libraries was underlined.

A short video dedicated to the Azerbaijan National Library was then shown.

The conference continued with presentations.

Adiba Ismayilova, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs and Library-Information Services of the Azerbaijan National Library, spoke on “The Activities of the Azerbaijan National Library in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage”. Samira El Malizi, Director of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, presented “Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future: The Commitment of the National Library of Morocco”. Ayhan Tuglu, Director of Library and Publications at  the Presidency of the Republic of Turkiye, discussed “Preserving  Cultural Heritage through Libraries: The Nation`s Library”. Professor Afat Abbasova spoke on “Libraries as Bridges Carrying Our Values into the Future”. Seham Alezam, Director of the National Library of Kuwait, addressed “From Heritage to the Future: The Role of the National Library of Kuwait in the Field of Culture”. Associate Professor Huseyn Huseynov, Director of the Central Scientific Library of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, spoke about “The Role of Libraries in Preserving and Developing National and Spiritual Values”. Associate Professor Mubariz Mammadli, Director of the Republican Scientific and Technical Library under the Intellectual Property Agency of Azerbaijan, discussed “Preserving Azerbaijan’s Scientific and Cultural Heritage at the Republican Scientific and Technical Library”.  Aygun Kochak, Head of the Scientific Research, Library Science, and Methodological Support Department of the Azerbaijan National Library, spoke on “Valuable Istanbul Editions Preserved at the Azerbaijan National Library (Rare Works from the 18th–19th Centuries)”.