On May 23, the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan inaugurated an international conference on "Archaeological Tourism and Sustainable Management" at the Ateshgah Fire Temple. The conference, organized in partnership with the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), aimed to explore advanced practices in archaeological tourism and discuss their application to Azerbaijan's heritage sites.
In her opening speech, Azadeh Huseynova, Deputy Chair of the State Tourism Agency, emphasized the significance of hosting such an event in Azerbaijan for both tourism and the promotion of cultural heritage. She highlighted the support provided by the State Tourism Agency for scientific research and archaeological excavations at historical sites, as well as the discovery of rare artifacts. Huseynova expressed hope that the conference would foster valuable exchanges on the tourism application of Azerbaijan’s heritage sites and contribute to realizing the full potential of the country's archaeological tourism.
Saadat Yusufova, Deputy Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan, noted the substantial attention and care given to the study of archaeological and tangible cultural heritage in Azerbaijan. She mentioned that extensive archaeological excavations in the country have uncovered hundreds of ancient sites and thousands of artifacts, all of which are being preserved.
Shahin Seyidzade, Chairman of the "Icherisheher" State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration, informed participants about new methods applied to the preservation of ancient sites and cultural heritage in the historical center of Baku.
Sabina Hajiyeva, Head of the State Service for the Protection, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, provided insights into the protection and restoration efforts for Azerbaijan's archaeological architectural sites.
