Azernews.Az

A large-scale event dedicated to the “Return to Western Azerbaijan” project was held at Binali Yıldırım University in Erzincan, Türkiye, with the financial support of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of Azerbaijan and the joint organization of the “Third Sector” Public Association and the Turkish Internet Media Association (TİMBİR).

According to Azernews, the event opened with a speech by Selçuk Özdemir, head of TIMBİR’s Eastern Anatolia region, who emphasized the significance of the project in raising awareness of Azerbaijanis’ historical and humanitarian claims.

Project leader Nahid Canbakhışlı, a Garabagh war veteran and editor-in-chief of Vataninfo.az, provided detailed insight into the goals and progress of the initiative, which centers on the rights of Azerbaijanis deported from their historical lands in present-day Armenia.

Key figures also delivered remarks, including Vice Rector of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Professor Dr. Çağrı Çırak, Erzincan Deputy Governor Ömer Özbey, TIMBİR Chairman Süleyman Basa, and Agil Alasgar, board member of Azerbaijan’s Press Council and head of the “Yeni Çağ” Media Group.

The event featured a panel moderated by Semra Akyürek, editor-in-chief of Türkiye’s Merhaba newspaper, where panelists addressed humanitarian challenges, legal aspects, and the historical narratives linked to Western Azerbaijan.

Speakers included Menderes Demir, head of the Turkic World Journalists Federation, Muhammet Kaçar, director of Birlik News Agency (BHA), Star newspaper columnist Cüneyd Altıparmak, and Dr. Şehrebanu Allahverdi of Adıyaman University.

The event concluded with the presentation of plaques to the participants in recognition of their contributions to the discussion.