Heydar Aliyev Commemoration Day celebrated

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Ambassador Farhadov during the Seminar with COMSATS to commemorate former President Aliyev
Ambassador Farhadov during the Seminar with COMSATS to commemorate former President Aliyev

Islamabad, 9 December 2021 (TDI): Embassy of Azerbaijan,  COMSATS University, and Azerbaijan-Pakistan Alumni Association hosted a Seminar on “Youth policy of visionary leaders: Heydar Aliyev & Muhammad Ali Jinnah” in Islamabad on 9 December.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan  Khazar Farhadov addressed the occasion. He has talked about the legacy of the visionary leader of Azerbaijan on the occasion including Quaid-I-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

During the seminar, the participants discussed the contributions of the leaders to Azerbaijan and Pakistan. The Ambassador also met the Rector of COMSATS University, Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal. During the visit, Farhadov and Afzal exchanged views on the perspective of future cooperation views for the Universities of both countries.

Ambassador Farhadov’s Remarks

During the Seminar, Pakistan and Azerbaijan sang their anthems. Ambassador Farhadov then noted that Azerbaijan was on the verge of an economic and also political crisis; when they achieved their independence.

Then Farhadov remarked that with the arrival of Aliyev, the country saw an extraordinary increase, and the national spirit developed. Ambassador Farhadov also mentioned that Aliyev always considered the youth to be important for the future of Azerbaijan is in their hands.

He then mentioned that the current President, Ilham Aliyev, has successfully followed the youth policy of Heydar. Ambassador Farhadov also remarked emphasized the implementation of measures that the current government has in place for their youth policy.

The Current President, Ilham Aliyev, remarked that one of the priorities of the Government is the physical education and health of the youth. Then they remarked that Azerbaijan gained a reputation among the youth of the countries.

According to Ambassador Farhadov, those measures are to ensure their participation in the public service, for them to become a leading force; and finally to solve their socio-economic problems. Aliyev always considered it important to form the youth.

Ambassador Farhadov also spoke about the Pakistani leader, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and also described his policies; and the development of youth in Pakistan. At the end of the seminar, Azerbaijan donated books and materials related to Aliyev to the University Library.

Quaid i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah also considered the youth as an important factor in nation-building. Whenever Quaid-I-Azam addressed the students of Pakistan, he has always remarked on the importance of the youth’s vision. Muhammad Ali Jinnah gave a message during the first Education Conference held in 1947. At the Conference, Jinnah stated that the future of the country depends on the education children receive, and how the parents raise them to be effective citizens of Pakistan.

National Day to Commemorate Heydar Aliyev and Background

The government of Azerbaijan declared a National Day to commemorate Heydar Aliyev, as he passed away on 12 December. Aliyev first was the leader of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982. He was later the former President of Azerbaijan from 1993-to 2003.

Background of Hydar Aliyev 

First, it is important to mention that Hydar Aliyev was born in Nakhichevan in 1923. He graduated from the Nakhichevan Pedagogical School, and then he enrolled in the Industrial Institute of Azerbaijan. Hydar Aliyev also attended Baku’s State University, for a history degree.

According to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev was the founder and architect of modern Azerbaijan. Hydar Aliyev received state orders, medals, and international awards like his elections as an honorary doctor in different universities.

Among the orders that the former President received there is the Lenin Order and the Order of the Red Star. Later President Hydar Aliyev also received the rank of Hero of the Socialistic Labor twice. Aliyev was part of the Komsomol’s meeting when he assumed the Chair, he gave a speech of advice to the youth.

From 1970 to 1980, at his, Azerbaijan sent students to important universities in the former Soviet Union. In 1970, at his initiative, more than 1500 students received care for their studies.

According to President Heydar Aliyev, the most precious blessing is the children of Azerbaijan and young people.  In 1995, Aliyev established the National Assembly of Youth Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (NAYORA).

The Government registered NAYORA to the Ministry of Justice in 1996. The objective of NAYORA was to increase the role of their youth. In 1995, President Aliyev initiated the Azerbaijani Youth Forum, and a year later, they held the first Forum. Two years later, Aliyev declared the Azerbaijan Youth Day, then three years later the UN established World Youth Day.

Assistants to the seminar to commemorate Heydar Aliyev national day
Participants of the Seminar on to commemorate Heydar Aliyev national day
Heydar Aliyev Foundation 

Mehriban Aliyeva, the Vice-President and the first lady of Azerbaijan established the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2004. Aliyeva is also Goodwill Ambassador to UNESCO and ISESCO. The Foundation stated that Aliyev also stressed the importance of the philosophy of Azerbaijanism for the country; and also the importance of cultivating the ideas of national statehood in the children.

The Foundation has participated in building a new society and contributing to the social and economic development of Azerbaijan. According to the note, the foundation does this by implementing projects in spheres like education, public health, culture, and also sports.

Pakistan Azerbaijan Relations  

Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognize the independence of Azerbaijan on 12 December 1991. A year later Pakistan and Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations. Pakistan opened an Embassy in Baku in 1993. On the other side, Azerbaijan opened its Embassy in Islamabad in 1997.

The Pakistani President, Sardar Faruq Legari, visited Azerbaijan for the first time in 1995. A year later, Heydar Aliyev first visited Pakistan in 1996. After those visits, the Presidents and the Foreign Ministers of both countries paid official visits throughout the years.

The Prime Ministers of Pakistan have visited Azerbaijan twice. When it comes to economic cooperation, both countries signed the protocol between Azerbaijan and Pakistan Governments on the establishment of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Commission at the Ministerial Level.

According to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Pakistan, Azerbaijan hosted the 1st Session of that Commission in Baku, in 2000. Then in 2016, Pakistan hosted the 6th Session of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission, in Islamabad.

In 2017, the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation sent a delegation to Pakistan. Then in 2017, Azerbaijan received hosted the 1st session of the Joint Working Group on Trade Cooperation, in Baku.

In that meeting, both countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Export and Investment Promotion Foundation of Azerbaijan and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

Humanitarian Aid 

The Embassy also mentioned the different events where both countries have supported each other. The first one was in 2008 when the Heydar Aliyev Foundation built a secondary school for girls affected by an earthquake.

In 2010, Azerbaijani Government donated 1 million dollars to help with the consequences of floods. During 2012 and 2018, the Foundation donated one fully equipped ambulance and 2000 blood bags to Hamza Foundation. In that time the Foundation also issued funds for building a new block and waiting rooms for Khayber Eye Foundation and other actions.

Cultural Relations 

In 2017,  the Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, visited Azerbaijan. The reason was to attend a conference named Islamic Solidarity: Religions and Intercultural Dialogue.

Furthermore, in 2018, Mubariz Asgarov, the soloist Fakhri Kazim-Nijat, and Nigar Shabanova performed at the cultural-musical events. All those events were to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in Islamabad and Lahore.

Also in 2018, the Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AZTA), 18 travel agencies, and hotel representatives assisted the  Pakistan Travel Mart exhibition in Karachi. Moreover, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have signed 34 documents, and around 17 are under consideration currently.