Minister: Selection of Lachin as CIS Cultural Capital is socio-culturally significant

The selection of Lachin as the CIS Cultural Capital is socio-culturally significant for Azerbaijan, Minister of Culture Adil Karimli said at the opening of the CIS Cultural Capital - 2025 in Lachin, Report informs.

The minister said that this is a clear manifestation of the support and solidarity of the international community in the process of cultural and economic revival of the Azerbaijani territories liberated from occupation.

"During the thirty-year occupation, mosques, shrines, temples, ancient burial mounds, cemeteries, as well as museums, libraries, and schools were destroyed in Lachin. Residential buildings, sacred places, and cultural values ​​were turned into ruins," according got the minister.

Adil Karimli drew attention to the successful implementation of large-scale measures to restore those territories under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, after the liberation.

"I would like to especially note that the concept of restoring the liberated territories includes not only physical construction, the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and monuments, but also the revival of cultural life," the minister said.

"We highly appreciate the goodwill of the CIS countries in supporting the naming of a city in the post-conflict reconstruction phase. We deeply understand the important role of culture in all processes in this choice," he noted.