Azerbaijan, Vatican Forge Partnership to Advance Scientific and Historical Research

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), and the Vatican Apostolic Library and Apostolic Archive have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in scientific research and historical studies.

The agreement was signed by Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Head of the Apostolic Library and Archive, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

Under the memorandum, the parties will collaborate on research initiatives, exchange expertise, and work on the study, preservation, and digitization of documents related to Azerbaijani history housed in the Vatican archives.

The Vatican Apostolic Library, founded in 1475, is recognized as one of the oldest and most prestigious research institutions globally, containing rare manuscripts, incunabula, ancient maps, and publications in various languages, primarily accessible to specialized scholars. The Vatican Apostolic Archive, established as an independent institution in 1612 by Pope Paul V, preserves centuries of papal decrees, diplomatic correspondence, administrative records, and other official documents, serving as a critical resource for historians and researchers worldwide.