The Azerbaijan National Library continues to strengthen its global partnerships through active collaboration with international institutions, Azernews reports.
The recent online meeting with the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco highlights this ongoing commitment.
The meeting was attended by Adiba Ismayilova, Deputy Director of the Azerbaijan National Library, staff members Togrul Kamilzade and Fidan Bayramova, Tilila Baida, Head of the Cooperation and Funding Department of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as Fatina El Fakih, Economic Advisor at the Embassy of Morocco in Azerbaijan.
During the meeting, the participants discussed Morocco's potential involvement in the international events to be organized by the Azerbaijan National Library.
These events will take place within the framework of the 11th Baku International Book Fair, which is being coordinated by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.
Note that the 11th Baku International Book Fair is scheduled to take place from October 1 to October 7, 2025, at the Baku Expo Center.
The fair will feature book presentations, master classes, and interactions with authors and literary professionals, offering opportunities for business development and exposure to diverse literature and publishing.
Another key topic of discussion was the planned opening of a Moroccan literature corner at the Azerbaijan National Library, aimed at promoting Moroccan literary heritage.
The sides also exchanged views on the renewal of the existing memorandum of mutual cooperation, with the goal of further strengthening institutional ties and cultural exchange between the two national libraries.
The National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (BNRM), situated in Rabat, is a prominent public and cultural institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing Morocco's documentary heritage, including manuscripts and books.
It also aims to promote public access to information and oversee the national library network.
Established in its current form in 2003, the library’s origins trace back to 1924. Its striking contemporary architecture seamlessly combines modern design with traditional Moroccan motifs.
As a key hub for cultural exchange and scholarly research, the library features reading rooms, an auditorium, and an archive of the country's history and literature.
It actively participates in preservation and digitization initiatives to safeguard Morocco's cultural assets.
With over 5 million books, manuscripts, and maps, the Azerbaijan National Library is considered one of the largest libraries in the Caucasus region. Since 1939, the library has borne the name of the eminent playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov.
The library has an extensive collection of literature in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, and other languages. It has collected and preserved national editions, works of Azerbaijani and foreign authors about Azerbaijan published abroad.
The National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, visited the National Library four times in 1995-1997 and donated nearly 300 books from his personal library.
In 2004, the Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library was granted the status of a national library by the decision of Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers.
The building of the library is no less impressive. The library's faсade is decorated with the statues of eminent poets and writers like Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Uzeyir Hajibayli, Shota Rustaveli, Alexander Pushkin and many others.
The scope of the library's activities is constantly expanding. In 2005, on the basis of legal copies received from publishing houses and printing companies, the library published the yearbook "Books of Azerbaijan" for 1990, 1991, 2000, and 2001.
Over the past years, the National Library has signed a memorandum on bilateral mutual cooperation with about 80 libraries.
In 2021, the Culture Ministry and Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library launched a joint campaign, "Let's go to Garabagh with a book", to restore libraries in the Garabagh region.
A large number of books were donated to the Garabagh Book Fund by a number of international organizations working in the field of culture, Turkic-speaking countries, famous foreign and local authors, publishers, and printing houses.
In 2025, a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) as w officially signed between the National Libraries of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan during a ceremony held in Dushanbe.
The agreement was inked by the director of the Azerbaijani National Library, Karim Tahirov, and the director of the Tajikistan National Library, Farzalizada Jumakhon.
This memorandum provides a framework for enhanced collaboration between the two institutions, emphasising the exchange of books, publications, and other cultural materials to foster mutual understanding and strengthen the cultural ties between the two nations.
It also sets the stage for joint activities and projects aimed at promoting literacy, preserving cultural heritage, and supporting scholarly research.
Furthermore, the agreement envisions organizing a series of commemorative events dedicated to prominent historical and cultural figures from both Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.
