On June 03, 2026, a scientific-practical conference on the topic "Development of urban planning and architecture in North-Western Azerbaijan in the Early Middle Ages" was held at Oguz District State Agrarian Development Center, jointly organized by Sheki Regional Scientific Center of ANAS and Oguz District Executive Power.

First, the memory of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as the sons of the Motherland who died for the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of our lands, was commemorated.

Opening the event, Deputy Head of Oguz District Executive Power, Head of the Territorial-Organizational and Socio-Political Issues department, Aliyya Osmanova, spoke about the importance of the event and said that the measures taken in the country to study and promote history, cultural heritage, urban planning and architectural traditions make a significant contribution to the protection of national and spiritual values and their transmission to future generations. She noted that the declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture” in accordance with the relevant Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has created an additional incentive to further increase attention to this area, expand scientific research and systematically study urban planning heritage.

Acting Director of Sheki Regional Scientific Center of ANAS, Doctor of Philological Sciences, docent Kamil Adishirinov spoke about the scientific significance of the conference. He said that the study of the urban planning and architectural heritage of Northwestern Azerbaijan in the early Middle Ages is of great importance in terms of studying the stages of historical and cultural development of the region. Kamil Adishirinov emphasized that such scientific and practical events create a wide opportunity to convey the results of research conducted in the fields of history, archeology and architecture to the scientific community, as well as to identify new research directions. He wished the conference success and fruitful discussions to the participants.

The conference continued its work around the reports.

Speaking at the conference, researcher Yusif Rzayev, a member of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, presented a report on the topic "Development of urban planning and architecture in the territory of  Oguz region in the early Middle Ages." In his speech, the speaker provided general information about the ancient settlements of Oguz region and said that this area was one of the historically important settlement centers and that the traces of some architectural examples that have survived to this day indicate the ancient history of the region.

Narmin Yahyayeva, an employee of the Architecture Department of Oguz District Executive Power, delivered a report on “Construction and construction works carried out in the field of urban planning and architecture in Oguz in recent years.” She provided information on the construction and construction works, improvement projects and measures taken in the field of urban planning in the district in recent years. The speaker also spoke about the work done to shape the modern face of Oguz and the results achieved.

Then, Elshan Abdurahmanov, head of the Archaeology and Ethnography department of Sheki Regional Scientific Center, delivered a comprehensive report on “Early Medieval Albanian Architectural Monuments of Sheki-Oguz Region.”

He provided information about the early medieval Albanian architectural monuments located in Sheki-Oguz region, spoke about the historical and cultural significance of these monuments, and emphasized the importance of researching, protecting and promoting the rich material and cultural heritage of the region. At the end of his speech, the speaker called on the residents of Oghuz to be attentive to examples of historical and cultural heritage, to be sensitive to the protection of monuments and to actively participate in the transfer of this valuable heritage to future generations.

Head of History and Epigraphy department of Sheki Regional Scientific Center, Ph.D. in history Rahim Hasanov, speaking on the topic “The history of Sheki in written sources”, spoke extensively about the information reflected in written sources on the history of the ancient and medieval periods of Sheki. The speaker said that the information about Sheki in written sources from the Arab, Greek, Roman, Seljuk, khanate periods, and Tsarist Russia shows that the city was an important center in both political and economic terms.

Rahim Hasanov emphasized in his speech that written sources provide an opportunity to more clearly study the process of the formation of Sheki as a city. These sources also contain certain information about the administrative structure of the city, trade relations, and the lifestyle of its population.

He also specifically noted that in scientific research conducted on the history of Sheki, along with written sources, epigraphic materials are of great importance, and that these sources complement each other.

In conclusion, the speaker emphasized the importance of studying the historical heritage of the city of Sheki in more depth and stated that continuing research in this direction is of great importance for the scientific community.

At the scientific-practical conference, Director of the Gabala Mediation Organization, member of the Azerbaijan Mediation Council Adalat Aliyev spoke on the topic of “Urban planning, architecture and mediation processes” and spoke about the role of mediation in resolving various disputes arising in this area.

He clarified the application of mediation in the field of urban planning and architecture, its advantages, and the issues of maintaining relations during implemented projects, noting that sometimes various disagreements and legal disputes can arise between the parties. In such cases, the mediation mechanism allows for reaching an agreement between the parties and resolving issues more quickly and efficiently.

The speaker also said that the application of mediation in urban planning projects, construction and construction works, and property issues creates conditions for achieving more stable and sustainable results. Strengthening awareness-raising activities in this area can contribute to reducing the number of disputes in the future, and joint activities of both state agencies and the public are important in this direction.

The conference continued with mutual discussions and an exchange of views on the topic.

At the same time, the issue of mutual cooperation in conducting scientific research with Nazim Huseynli, editor of the “Oguz Khabarlari” newspaper and member of the Azerbaijan Writers and Journalists Union, was also raised.

It was noted that the history of the region's press and local information sources are of great importance for scientific research.

In this regard, the collection, systematization and scientific circulation of newspapers published in the Oghuz region is of particular importance. It was noted that these materials can play an important role in studying the socio-political, cultural and social life of the region.

 It was emphasized that expanding cooperation in this direction will contribute to a more in-depth study of the history of the region.