Baku, June 7, AZERTAC The ninth session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions has kicked off at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.During the two-day session, the representatives of 151 States Parties to the Convention and the European Union will examine the state of implementation of the Convention worldwide and the major challenges facing the cultural and creative sectors in the post COVID-19 pandemic context. In particular, they will discuss ways to enhance the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital environment, ensure preferential treatment measures for cultural goods and services, and strengthen the status of artists and cultural professionals.The Conference of Parties will determine the strategic orientations that will underpin the future activities of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2024-2025 period. It will also elect the Committee’s 12 new members. Moreover, it will be invited to examine a concrete proposal aiming to rationalize the submission cycles of the periodic reports and a proposed revision to the Rules of Procedure. The issue of strengthening collaboration with the stakeholders of the Convention, including civil society organizations, micro, small and medium-sized cultural enterprises and cultural institutions and organizations, will also be discussed.Azerbaijan is represented at the conference by Ministry of Culture and the delegation of Azerbaijan's Permanent Mission to UNESCO. In 2019, Azerbaijan was elected as a member of the UNESCO`s Intergovernmental Committee of the 2019-2023 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Addressing the event, head of the delegation, Deputy Minister of Culture Saadat Yusifova congratulated the countries that recently joined the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The deputy minister emphasized that Azerbaijan is committed to the values and principles of the Convention. Speaking about the increasing state support for the development of creative industries, Saadat Yusifova pointed out that a separate department has been established for this field in the Office of the Ministry of Culture.