Azernews.Az

By Godwin Odusami, Executive Director at Legacy International UK Ltd.

From the perspective of an informed observer, permit me to congratulate the Azerbaijani First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Foundation`s Vice-President, Leyla Aliyeva, on the successful hosting of the Afrovision exhibition at Baku Museum; lest I forget, I must not fail to extend my warm appreciation to the good people of Azerbaijan occasioning my first visit to the country. I cannot but agree that Azerbaijan has a lot in stock for the global community.

Speaking through the mind of Bernd Kleine-Gunk, African art collector, ``To bring African art from a German doctor to the Azerbaijani museum is not an easy thing to do``, and he was indeed right: African contemporary art has metamorphosed in the last decade, so is the culture, which brings us to the subject of cultural diplomacy in the global community.

Cultural diplomacy is a process of establishing, developing and sustaining relations with foreign states by way of culture, art and education. It is also a proactive system of external projection in which a nation`s institutions, value system and unique cultural personality are promoted at a bilateral and multilateral level. In the words of his Excellency P.S. Sahai, cultural diplomacy could be achieved through the organisation of mega events or through a series of cultural activities with which a particular nation state is identified. It would thus result in our using the instrumentality of `culture` in promoting a country`s diplomatic interests in commercial, political and strategic fields.

In direct response to the amiable Vice President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mrs Leyla Aliyeva, on little knowledge of the rich cultural heritage that abound in Africa, the continent has much to offer Azerbaijan on a multifaceted dimension which could only be ignited through cultural diplomacy. I am also convinced that Azerbaijan will be rewarded by the emerging markets of Africa in respect of commerce and diplomatic influence on the African continent.

In conclusion, identified is the enormous potential and opportunities of the Azerbaijan economy in the non-oil sector transferable to the African region for mutual benefit of both; it must continue to strongly develop this potential further and I must felicitate with the good people of Azerbaijan on the laudable achievements of their purposeful servant leader, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev.