Leyla Aliyeva attends memorial event “One of Them: Emil”
On June 30, a memorial event titled “One of Them: Emil,” dedicated to the memory of 13-year-old Emil, who passed away from thalassemia, was held at the Shaki State Drama Theatre.
The event was organized with the support of the Shaki City Executive Authority, on the initiative of Ayshen Abdullayeva, head of the “From the Heart to Blood” project, and under the general leadership of Elvin Nusratoghlu.
Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the event.
The main purpose of the memorial evening was to pay tribute to children suffering from thalassemia and to honor the memory of those who lost their lives to the disease, as well as to draw public attention to the problem of thalassemia.
During the event, various artistic compositions reflecting Emil’s life journey, emotions, dreams, and the feelings experienced by his family were presented. The stage performances of “Butterfly,” “Fireplace,” “Adagio,” “I Will Search for You,” “Luna,” and the closing piece “Sob a Sol” (“Under the Sun”) were received by the audience with deep emotion. The presented performances reflected the value of life, hope, love, and living.
Special video clips about Emil’s life and preserving his memory, as well as videos from events held under the “One of Them: Emil” project, were shown.
At the end of the event, Ayshen Abdullayeva, head of the “From the Heart to Blood” project and initiator of the “One of Them: Emil” project, spoke about the attention given to thalassemia patients in the country and expressed gratitude to the leadership for their support. It was noted that people living with thalassemia struggle every day. The most valuable help that strengthens their hope for life is the attention, care, and dedication of voluntary blood donors together with state support. She emphasized that such projects not only serve a commemorative purpose but also aim to provide moral support to thalassemia patients and their families and to strengthen solidarity and social responsibility in society.
The “One of Them: Emil” project was the final stage of a series of events dedicated to thalassemia. The project began on June 18 with the conference titled “Thalassemia – A Message to Society,” during which detailed information was provided about the disease, its complications, prevention, and the measures being implemented.
As the next stage, a blood donation campaign titled “Thalassemia – Blood Unity” was organized on June 19–20. A total of 465 people participated in the campaign. After medical examinations, 163 people donated blood. The collected blood reserves were directed toward supporting the treatment of people suffering from thalassemia and other blood diseases.
All events carried out within the project aimed to draw society’s attention to the problem of thalassemia, promote voluntary blood donation, and support those affected by the disease.
