Dear representatives of the congress!

I sincerely congratulate you on the start of the 13th congress of Azerbaijani writers and wish you all good health and success in your future activities.

The people of Azerbaijan have always appreciated poetry and art and invariably respected the writers who write and create with a deep sense of moral responsibility towards society and future generations. They have made unparalleled contributions to the enrichment of our centuries-old vocabulary, the preservation of the purity of our cultural values, and the formation of public opinion on the basis of national self-awareness. The memory of the outstanding wordsmiths, who have turned our literature into a part of the world literary heritage with their humanist ideological and philosophical searches for harmonious unity of nationality and humanity, is cherished in our country. Our poets and writers have made special sacrifices to enhance the sentiments of freedom in the hearts of our people, instill the fighting spirit in our people and strengthen the moral foundations of our independence.

The fact that your congress, which is one of the most important events of our cultural life, is taking place at a time when we live the glorious pages of our history thanks to the bright Karabakh victory, puts forward a number of important tasks for the creation of artistic works. I believe that in the light of the ideology of Azerbaijanism, you will hold effective discussions and make important decisions, focusing on the issues of moral development of the society as always. I am sure that these decisions will open wide horizons for the new generation of our writers and poets with a modern way of thinking and patriotic spirit, and will provide support for all creative literary forces.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 26 October 2022