May 18 - International Museum Day

Every year on May 18, museum workers around the world celebrate their professional holiday - International Museum Day. The holiday was established in 1977 at a meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Since 1978, this day has been celebrated in more than 150 countries.

According to ICOM's definition, museums are institutions at the service of society and its development. And ICOM itself, created in 1946, is a worldwide organization representing museums and museum professionals. Its activities are aimed at protecting and promoting natural and cultural heritage - past and future, tangible and intangible. The organization has 40,000 members from more than 140 countries worldwide.

It is generally accepted that through museums, society expresses its attitude toward historical and cultural heritage, and it's hard to disagree with this. By collecting and preserving monuments of material and spiritual culture, museums conduct extensive scientific, educational, and instructional work. As incomparable places of discovery, they teach us about our past and open our minds to new ideas - two important steps in building a better future.

Museums make an important contribution to the well-being and sustainable development of our communities. People trust museums, see them as pillars of social life, and this makes them potential conduits for cascading positive changes. Therefore, the theme for the 2024 Day is "Museums, Education and Research."

On this day in Azerbaijan, a series of events is held. Every year, all museums in the republic open their doors to visitors. Throughout the day, guests are provided with detailed information about museum exhibitions reflecting Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage and ancient history, and they get acquainted with cultural samples, paintings, and sculptures from ancient and medieval periods.

It should be noted that the priorities for museum development established by National Leader Heydar Aliyev are now successfully implemented by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation under the leadership of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. The Old Fortress in Baku (Icherisheher) with the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, the Gobustan cultural landscape with rock drawings, the historic center of Sheki city along with the Khan's Palace, the cultural landscape of Khinalig and the cattle driving route "Kech Yolu" ("Nomadic Path"), as well as the Hyrcanian Forests are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation also organizes various events aimed at informing authoritative international structures about the condition of museums and other cultural objects in Karabakh, which has been liberated from Armenian occupation.