Governor of Saint Petersburg Valentina Matviyenko met with Leila Aliyeva, the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Chairwoman of the Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia (AYOR), at Smolny on June 6.

The meeting took place during the visit of Leila Aliyeva to the City on the eve of the second anniversary of the establishment of AYOR.

Mrs Aliyeva informed the Governor of the opening of the Nizami Ganjavi Garden in Kamennoostrovsky Avenue within the AYOR conference in the City. The event was dedicated to the 870th birthday of the poet Nizami. In addition, AYOR and School No.163 in Saint Petersburg have signed an agreement on humanitarian cooperation.

Mrs Matviyenko expressed gratitude to Leila Aliyeva for the extended development of cultural relations between Saint Petersburg and Azerbaijan, and between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The Governor said: ‘Such cultural projects bring our nations closer, and develop friendship between youth’. Mrs Matviyenko went on to say that Petersburg is interested in the development of the historical friendly ties between the northern capital of Russia and Azerbaijan.

Mrs Matviyenko supported the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation and AYOR for the development of educational cooperation.

The same day, Leila Aliyeva met with First Deputy Chairwoman of the Education Committee of Saint Petersburg Natalya Putelovskaya in Secondary School No.163.

Mrs Aliyeva spoke of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s projects for the development of education, and underlined the attention given in Azerbaijan to Russian language and literature. According to her, AYOR plans to establish a cultural education center at School No.163 reflecting friendly relations between the two countries.

Mrs Putelovskaya gave a very positive reaction to the projects the Heydar Aliyev Foundation performs for the development of education, and emphasized that the cultural education center to be set up at School No.163 will contribute to the development of friendly relations between the two countries and nations.

An agreement on humanitarian cooperation between AYOR and School No.163 was signed in the meeting.