BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. On May 4, the ICESCO
headquarters in Morocco hosted the inaugural presentation ceremony
of the “ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Excellence Award,” jointly
established by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, Trend reports.
The ceremony was held as part of the international conference on
“Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the
Islamic World.”
Founded in 2025 and named after prominent Azerbaijani poet
Khurshidbanu Natavan, the daughter of the Garabagh Khan, the award
promotes best practices in preserving and managing tangible
cultural heritage. The “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award”
highlights Azerbaijan’s commitment to national values and humanism,
while also facilitating to promote its literary and cultural
legacy. Presented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, the
award serves as a tribute to the poet’s legacy and contributes to
the preservation and promotion of Garabagh’s rich cultural
heritage.
The ceremony was attended by Director-General of ICESCO Salim
bin Mohammed AlMalik; Assistant to the President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar
Alakbarov; and Princess Dana Firas of Jordan, President of Petra
National Trust and Vice President of the International Council on
Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
The biennial “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award” is presented in
individual and project categories to initiatives in ICESCO member
states focused on preserving tangible heritage.
This year, 54 applications were shortlisted, and the
international jury selected the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee
(Palestine) as the project category winner, in recognition of its
leading efforts in safeguarding cultural heritage in the Old City
of Hebron/Al-Khalil.
In the “Individual Category,” the winner is Iraqi national Ayoob
Thanoon. As the Founder and President of the Mosul Heritage
Foundation, he exemplifies “heritage continuity” in one of the most
heavily damaged urban heritage environments in the Islamic world.
As a young professional, his work focuses on restoring identity and
social cohesion in a post-conflict, multiethnic context.
In his remarks at the international conference, Anar Alakbarov,
Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, highlighted
cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO, including joint projects
under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 in Shusha. He
noted that Shusha, regarded as a cultural cradle of Azerbaijan and
known for its multiculturalism and tolerance, was named ICESCO’s
“Capital of Culture in the Islamic World” for 2024. He also
emphasized the significance of establishing the “Natavan Heritage
Excellence Award” within ICESCO in 2025. He also underlined the key
role of President Ilham Aliyev and President of the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation, ICESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, in
advancing effective cooperation with ICESCO.
Anar Alakbarov emphasized the importance of preserving cultural
heritage in the Islamic world and passing it on to future
generations amid ongoing global conflicts. Participants were
informed about projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation
both in Azerbaijan and abroad. He provided information about
restoration efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur regions, which
were liberated from Armenian occupation, including the
reconstruction of historical monuments and mosques by the
Azerbaijani state and the Foundation. He noted that these
initiatives extend beyond the country, with the Foundation actively
engaged internationally, including in Africa. In particular, within
cooperation with ICESCO, various educational projects have been
successfully carried out in Burkina Faso and other countries.
During the event, an Azerbaijani carpet honoring Khurshidbanu
Natavan was presented to ICESCO by the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation.
Princess Dana Firas, a jury member of the “Natavan Heritage
Excellence Award,” stressed its importance amid growing threats to
cultural heritage during conflicts. She cited preservation efforts
in Aleppo, Mosul, and Timbuktu, and described the award as a timely
initiative to promote experience-sharing, awareness, and best
practices across the Islamic world.
In his address, Salim bin Mohammed Al Malik emphasized that
conflicts across the Islamic world have damaged or destroyed
hundreds of cultural heritage sites, with over 27 World Heritage
properties currently under serious threat. He highlighted ICESCO’s
assessment mission in Garabagh, including Shusha, where more than
120 sites were inspected and a restoration plan was prepared, and
noted a similar upcoming mission in Syria. He also stressed
ICESCO’s strong cooperation with Azerbaijan and the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation.
Speaking at the conference, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and
Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek thanked the organizers for selecting the
Hebron restoration project as a winning initiative and for
supporting its implementation.
The first recipients of the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award”
also expressed their gratitude to ICESCO and the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation for the attention given to the submitted projects and
for establishing such an international award.
Guests later visited the Sultan Qaboos Library at ICESCO and a
photo exhibition dedicated to best practices in restoration
projects in conflict zones. The exhibition featured images of
restored historical, cultural, and religious monuments in areas
previously under nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation, as well as
projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in
Garabagh.
On the sidelines of the conference, Anar Alakbarov met with
Salim bin Mohammed Al Malik to discuss future joint projects in
Azerbaijan and other countries.
