Anar Alakbarov: Heydar Aliyev Foundation will do its best not to forget Khojaly tragedy
‘It is impossible to forget Khojaly tragedy for its scale and brutality. This history has eternally entered the blood memory of our people. Heydar Aliyev Foundation finds it its civic and moral duty to do everything possible and will be doing its best so that the new generation remembered the incidents happened in Khojaly over night from 25 to 26 February, 1992. We would never allow Khojaly tragedy to be forgotten. We will achieve the world community’s recognition of these incidents as the genocide against our people. As non-commercial public organization Heydar Aliyev Foundation will do everything possible that this problem caused a large international resonance’, Executive Director of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Elekberov said to the special reporter of AzerTAg in the scientific and practical conference ‘Khojaly. 16 years later’ organized in Moscow on the initiative of the Russia Office of Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
A.Elekberov mentioned it is very necessary and important that the Russia Office of the Foundation holds such a popular action Moscow due to the 16th anniversary of Khojaly tragedy, which is the tragic page in the history of our nation, involving Russian and Azeri youth, students of the leading higher schools of Russia.
Executive Director of Heydar Aliyev Foundation said: ‘Taking into consideration instructions of President Ilham Aliyev to lift the efforts to inform the world public of the realities of Azerbaijan and priorities of our state, one of major duties of Heydar Aliyev Foundation at present is to fulfil this instruction. I think, the Foundation is decently implementing that policy, performs huge works inside and outside the country. For example, in December 2007 preparation works for marking the 16th anniversary of Khojaly tragedy started upon instruction of President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva. Last year the Foundation organized several exhibitions on this theme. We have continued this job widening the geography of countries where these exhibitions were held. Via those exhibitions the public of some European and Arab countries were informed of the tragic incidents of 1992. Photo exhibitions dedicated to Khojaly tragedy are held in some countries, different publications presented, the world press covers those facts. In 2007, the Foundation held contest themed ‘Khojaly in the Eye of Children’ among children of children homes and boarding schools in Baku and other states. Works of the winners of this contest were exhibited in the event in Moscow. Besides, Heydar Aliyev Foundation has offices in some countries. Representatives of the Foundation visited various countries to hold such events. In future we will try to involve mainly nongovernmental and nonpublic organizations in these works. Mass media of countries where these events are held should pay much more attention to this subject’.
Anar Elekberov stressed as the common objective realization of events dedicated to Khojaly tragedy is one of priorities in the activity of the Foundation. He said: ‘Holding these events in Moscow, all over the Russian Federation and other CIS member countries is of exceptional importance to restore correct and fair cognition of our history. These tragic incidents must correctly be commented and morally and legally assessed. For example, exhibitions are arranged in nearly 30 countries. Presentation materials of the Foundation have been distributed in over 60 countries. They include our last publications as booklets of the series ‘Realities of Garabagh’ that have been published in German, English and French languages, translated into Hebrew. We distributed those materials in the scientific and practical conference in Moscow. We actively work towards distribution of the publication titled ‘War Against Azerbaijan: Targeting Cultural Heritage’ the Foundation published with Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan. It is very unique publication, as it includes undeniable facts and arguments proving vandalism acts committed by Armenians in territory of Azerbaijan, destruction of our monuments, historical values, cemeteries of Azerbaijan. The book contains ancient geographic maps, also corresponding CDs, documentary on Khojaly and multimedia CD. That publication also was presented today in Moscow and I think students present in today’s event will have more information and distribute these publications in different organizations of RF. Such events are of huge importance. Lecture delivered in the scientific and practical conference dedicated to Khojaly tragedy by Tofig Musayev, spokesman of Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, who closely deals with the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlig Garabagh conflict, is very significant. Vision of such specialists of Azerbaijan is very interesting for the Russian public. This policy must be continued and developed. Delegations of Azerbaijan should pay visits to different countries, inform the world community of the sources and consequences of the aggression of Armenians to our people’.