Azerbaijan strengthens cultural ties with UN Library and Archives through donation and support

On behalf of the government of Azerbaijan, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva has made a financial donation to the UN Library and Archives in Geneva. At the same time, the mission gifted the library with a collection of books containing publications on Azerbaijan’s history and culture.

According to local media, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Galib Israfiliov, presented the books and spoke about the fruitful cooperation that has developed over many years between the Azerbaijani mission and the UN library, Caliber.Az reports.

The ambassador emphasised that Azerbaijan places special importance on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and is actively involved in these efforts on the international stage. He expressed hope that the donated materials would be preserved in digital form by the library and would become a valuable resource for its readers.

Ambassador Israfiliov also expressed confidence that the financial contribution would make a significant impact on preserving and enriching the library’s existing collections.

In response, Francesco Pisano, head of the UN Library, conveyed deep gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for its financial support and the donated publications. He expressed hope that Azerbaijan’s donation would encourage other UN member states to make similar contributions. Pisano, recognising Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission in Geneva as among the “Friends of the Library,” noted that this cooperation opens broad opportunities for implementing joint activities and projects aimed at promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and addressing other global issues.

The UN Library in Geneva, which began as the League of Nations Library in 1919, is now regarded as a priceless treasure of global cultural heritage. It stands as a key UN knowledge centre covering areas such as international law, human rights, multilateralism, disarmament, humanitarian affairs, refugee matters, economic and social development, and environmental protection. The library boasts one of Europe’s richest collections in the fields of law, politics, and social sciences.

By Tamilla Hasanova