Egyptian, Lebanese researchers visit Azerbaijan’s liberated Shusha city
By Vugar Khalilov
A delegation of Egyptian and Lebanese researchers has visited Azerbaijan's liberated Shusha city, Azertag reported on August 11.
During the visit, the delegation has been to various points in the city, including the place where the historic Shusha Declaration between Azerbaijan and Turkey was signed on June 15.
The guests were informed about the lives and work of famous Azerbaijani public figures Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Khurshidbanu Natavan and Bulbul whose statues are displayed in Shusha.
It was noted that the statues were damaged by Armenians during the First Karabakh War and were brought to Baku to be displayed in the yard of the Art Museum. After the liberation of Shusha in 2020, the statues were returned to their original place in line with the presidential order.
Then the guests visited the historical “Khan gizi” spring, which was founded by Azerbaijani poetess Natavan in the 19th century. The visitors were informed that during the occupation, Armenians dried up the spring and it was only after the liberation of the city that the spring was put into operation again.
Moreover, the visitors were informed about the Shusha castle that was built by the first ruler of the Karabakh khanate Panahali khan in the 18th century who protected the city against foreign invaders for many years. During the occupation, the castle walls were subjected to Armenian vandalism and after the liberation of Shusha, the fortress was repaired.
The group of foreign researchers also visited the “Jidir duzu” plain, where traditional music concerts and folk festivals are regularly held.
Later, researchers visited the “Ashsagi” and “Yukhari Govharaga” mosques that were subjected to Armenian vandalism during the 30-year occupation, along with other religious monuments, and were renovated immediately after the liberation of the city last year.
In the end, the researchers were familiarized with the reconstruction work carried out in the “Gazanchi” church by Azerbaijan in line with the original architectural style of Shusha. It was noted that the church was built on the ancient Zoroastrian temple in 1868-1887.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan has organized several trips for foreign and local delegations to the liberated lands, especially to Shusha following its victory in the Second Karabakh war.
Occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992, Shusha was liberated by Azerbaijan on November 8, 2020 during the 44-day war.
Shusha was declared Azerbaijan’s cultural capital by the presidential decree on May 7.
Apart from Shusha, 300 other city centers, villages and settlements were liberated from around 30 years of Armenian occupation during the war last year. The liberation of Shusha was followed by the signing of a trilateral peace deal by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10. The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions that Armenian had occupied since the early 1990s.
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