Azernews.Az

By Sabina Mammadli

The chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora, Fuad Muradov, has made public the agenda of the fifth World Azerbaijanis' Congress due in the country's cultural capital Shusha on April 22-23.

In his relevant article published in the official Azarbaycan (Azerbaijan) newspaper, Muradov stressed that a report on the committee's activities is scheduled to be presented following the official opening ceremony of the congress.

The topics "Tasks facing Azerbaijani diaspora in the post-war period" and "Contribution of Azerbaijani diaspora to restoration and reconstruction of Karabakh” will then be discussed.

"Holding the event of world Azerbaijanis in Shusha, symbolizing our historical Victory, is a significant historical event of great political significance. Therefore, we call this congress the Congress of Victory," Muradov said.

Furthermore, he noted that Azerbaijan has studied the existing problems in the field of coordinating the activities of diaspora organizations and deepening ties with the homeland of our compatriots living abroad.

The article also stressed that the state has taken a number of steps to prevent the fragmented work of the diaspora.

Further, Muradov wrote that in order to improve the legislative framework in the field of work with the diaspora, the State Committee has created a working group, which included representatives of relevant structures, studied foreign experience, and prepared proposals in this direction.

“In Azerbaijan, the medal 'For Merit in Diaspora Activities' was established to encourage our compatriots living abroad to participate in diaspora activities, as well as to reward Azerbaijanis who have done a great job to spread the truth about Azerbaijan, promoting our history and culture abroad,” the article added.

Earlier, Shirvan Karimov, chairman of the Azerbaijanis League of Russia's Samara region, said that under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership, the Azerbaijani diaspora has developed, strengthened, and properly protected the country's interests.

“Each of us walks with our heads held high, because our pride was restored as a result of the second Karabakh war,” he said.

He also added that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had unique merits in developing diaspora activities.

“The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has always supported us. We are grateful to the Azerbaijani state for attention and concern,” Karimov said.

To recap, the fifth World Azerbaijanis' Congress will be held from April 22 to April 23. The Shusha-based event is expected to draw 400 diaspora representatives from 65 countries. The congress participants will first visit Baku's Alley of Honors, then the Alleys of Martyrs I and II before departing for Shusha.

Following its victory over Armenia in the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan has organized a number of international and domestic events in Shusha.

Shusha was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992, and liberated by Azerbaijan during the 44-day war on November 8, 2020.

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 Armenian occupation during the war in 2020. Following the liberation of Shusha, the Azerbaijani, Russian, and Armenian leaders signed a trilateral peace treaty on November 10. The peace treaty called for the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin regions, which had been occupied by Armenia since the early 1990s.

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