An exhibition celebrating the 900th anniversary of architectAjami Nakhchivani, part of UNESCO's anniversaries program, hasopened at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris,Azernewsreports.

The exhibition was organized with the support of the AzerbaijanNational Commission for UNESCO, jointly by Azerbaijan's PermanentDelegation to UNESCO, the Azerbaijan Union of Architects, and theTurkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, in partnership withUNESCO.

The 900th anniversary of Ajami Nakhchivani's birth, included inUNESCO's list of anniversaries for 2024–2025 by the 42nd session ofthe UNESCO General Conference, was marked with a ceremony attendedby representatives of the diplomatic corps, the PermanentSecretariat of the Azerbaijan National Commission for UNESCO,UNESCO Secretariat staff, as well as representatives of theInternational Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and theAzerbaijan Union of Architects.

Speaking at the openning ceremony, Azerbaijan's PermanentRepresentative to UNESCO Elman Abdullayev emphasized AjamiNakhchivani's exceptional place in world architectural heritage. Henoted that the Nakhchivan school of architecture founded by Ajamihad a significant impact on the development of Near and MiddleEastern architecture. The Ambassador highlighted that Ajami'sworks, including the Momine Khatun Mausoleum and the Yusif ibnKuseyir Mausoleum, are rare gems of 12th-century architecture,distinguished by their precision of craftsmanship, perfectsymmetry, and ornamental richness, and remain a valuable source ofinspiration for architects, scholars, and researchers today.

During his speech, the Ambassador recalled the carpet dedicatedto Ajami Nakhchivani by the prominent carpet artist Latif Karimov,which was gifted to UNESCO in 1983 by the National Leader of theAzerbaijani People Heydar Aliyev. He stressed that this was a vividexample of preserving and perpetuating cultural heritage throughart. He also underlined that UNESCO's recognition of AjamiNakhchivani's contributions to universal culture is anotherimportant manifestation of the Azerbaijan–UNESCO partnership.

The Permanent Delegate noted that Ajami Nakhchivani'shuman-centered and harmonious spatial philosophy remains relevanttoday, and emphasized that the 13th session of the World UrbanForum (WUF13), to be held in Baku on May 17–22, 2026, will serve asan important platform for international discussion of these values.Abdullayev expressed gratitude to the National Commission of theRepublic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO and the Azerbaijan Union ofArchitects for their support in organizing the event andexhibition.

Following the opening remarks, Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO AssistantDirector-General for Culture, stated that Ajami Nakhchivani'screativity turned Nakhchivan into a major cultural center of theregion. He emphasized that Ajami's architectural heritage preservedlocal traditions while embodying universal values that transcendtime and borders. Ottone also highly valued Azerbaijan's ongoingcooperation with UNESCO in the field of cultural heritagepreservation and promotion.

Next, Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the International TurkicCulture and Heritage Foundation, noted that Ajami Nakhchivani'sarchitectural style, rooted in the rich traditions of the Turkicworld, stands out for its profound meaning and originality, clearlyreflected in monuments such as the Momine Khatun and Yusif ibnKuseyir mausoleums.

Nigar Rahimli, representative of the Azerbaijan NationalCommission for UNESCO, emphasized the importance of including AjamiNakhchivani's 900th anniversary in UNESCO's 2024–2025 anniversariesprogram. She noted that his creativity significantly influenced notonly Azerbaijani but also Near Eastern architecture. She stressedthat the exhibition at UNESCO Headquarters highlights theimportance of presenting the great architect's legacy to a wideraudience and underlines the necessity of its preservation.

Later, Rasim Babakishiyev, Honored Architect of Azerbaijan andSecretary of the Azerbaijan Union of Architects, underlined thatarchitectural monuments are among the most convincing proofs of thehistory of nations and states. He expressed pride in Azerbaijan'srich architectural heritage and highlighted the special attentionpaid by President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President MehribanAliyeva to the preservation and restoration of architecturalmonuments both domestically and internationally. Babakishiyevemphasized that Ajami Nakhchivani's works, such as the MomineKhatun and Yusif ibn Kuseyir mausoleums, are distinguished by highprofessionalism and engineering precision, and their survival tothis day is due to this mastery.

The event continued with the presentation of a book publishedwith the support of the International Turkic Culture and HeritageFoundation and the Azerbaijan Union of Architects, dedicated to the900th anniversary of Ajami Nakhchivani's birth. At the end, guestswere offered dishes of Azerbaijani national cuisine.

The exhibition at UNESCO Headquarters will remain open untilDecember 19, 2025.