Ramin Mammadov: Restoring religious monuments honors the past

The restoration of religious monuments is a reflection of respect for the past, attachment to national memory, and responsibility toward future generations, Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of Azerbaijan's State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations, said, according to Report.

Speaking at the conference Preservation of Historical‑Religious Monuments: Challenges and Perspectives, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Committee, Mammadov noted that every mosque, shrine, mausoleum, or historical‑religious monument is not merely a structure of stones and architectural elements, but a vital carrier of the nation's historical path, religious worldview, traditions, and collective memory.

"In line with the policy set by President Ilham Aliyev, the protection of cultural heritage today is one of the main directions of state policy. The improvement of legislation on the preservation of historical and cultural monuments, their restoration, and transmission to future generations demonstrates the systematic and purposeful nature of this policy," he emphasized.

The chairman highlighted that one of the key directions of reconstruction in Azerbaijan's liberated territories is the restoration of historical and religious monuments.

According to him, restoration projects cover the entire geography of Azerbaijan: "By presidential decrees, funds have been allocated for the restoration of the Pir Hasan shrine, the Imam Mosque in Amirjan settlement, and this year for the Shah Abbas Juma (Friday) Mosque in Ganja. Work at the Pir Hasan shrine has already been completed, restoration at the Imam Mosque has entered its final stage, and repair works have begun at the Shah Abbas Mosque."

Mammadov stressed that the aim is not only to rebuild destroyed structures but to revive the spiritual memory of the nation by restoring cultural heritage that was destroyed, desecrated, or altered during occupation.

The official underlined the significant role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by First Vice‑President Mehriban Aliyeva, in implementing numerous projects for the restoration of cultural and religious monuments both in Azerbaijan and abroad.