Shusha to be named as cultural capital of Islamic world for this year

The action plan for declaring Azerbaijan's Shusha city as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024 has been approved, Azernews reports.

The relevant decree was signed by Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

According to the document, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan will coordinate the implementation of the steps listed in the action plan approved by this decree.

The operations indicated in the action plan approved by this decree will be funded using monies allocated from Azerbaijan's state budget for 2024 to the various executive bodies, as well as other legal sources.

The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers' Department of Humanitarian Affairs was tasked with overseeing the decree's implementation.

This decree goes into effect on the day of its signature.

On November 21, 2023, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a decree on measures related to the declaration of Shusha City as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024.

The decree instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to develop and implement the above action plan.

The Azerbaijani city of Shusha was liberated from the occupation of Armenian forces on November 8, 2020.

Shusha, which was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992, had critical importance in liberating Garabagh, which is an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. It is located on the road to Khankendi, the region's largest city.

Noting that Nov. 8 will remain an important day in Azerbaijan's history. As President Ilham Aliyev said, "Shusha is not only the pearl of Azerbaijan but of the whole Caucasus."