BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan Fuad Muradov met with a Turkish delegation, including the rectors of universities in the Eastern Anatolia region and the head of the Igdir Azerbaijan House, a source in the committee told Trend.
Warmly welcoming the guests, Muradov noted that the friendly relations between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye further strengthen the existing ties between peoples and nations, and stimulate joint activities in all areas.
Information was provided on the positive results of the projects implemented by the committee, especially the projects and meetings held in Eastern Anatolia, and the importance of effective cooperation with universities, training and revealing scientists was discussed.
Recalling the idea expressed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his historic speech at the 5th Victory Congress of World Azerbaijanis held in Shusha,
"Of course, all of us—Azerbaijanis living in Azerbaijan—want Azerbaijanis living abroad to be in close contact with their historical homeland," said the committee chairman.
He spotlighted the projects implemented in connection with Azerbaijanis originally from Western Azerbaijan, currently living in Eastern Anatolia, and meetings with them.
Thanking for the warm welcome, the guests expressed their satisfaction with being in Azerbaijan, that this visit was of great importance to them, expressed their gratitude for the support shown to the visit, and briefed on the advantages of being carriers of the same language, religion, and culture.
Rectors of various universities said that Azerbaijanis living in the Eastern Anatolia region have made great contributions to Turkish science and culture, and have become an integral part of society without being subjected to any assimilation.
Members of the delegation emphasized the importance of the projects and meetings implemented to date, and stressed the importance of continuing fruitful partnership.
The meeting exchanged views on the creation of a unified diaspora of Turkic-speaking states, further strengthening the "soft power" of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the intensification of the relations of the diaspora committee with Azerbaijanis living in Türkiye, the implementation of joint projects with universities, and boosting the interest of Azerbaijanis living in Eastern Anatolia in higher education.
During the visit of the committee chairman to the Kars and Igdir regions, he met with the Azerbaijani community there, as well as officials from both regions, as well as visited Kars Qafqaz University, and got acquainted closely with the teaching and student staff of the university.
In addition, the meeting recalled that the committee regularly holds mass events in conjunction with diaspora organizations in Türkiye on the January 20 tragedy, the Khojaly genocide and other important days of Azerbaijan, and organizes large concert programs on the occasion of holidays in various cities.
The meeting emphasized that thousands of Azerbaijanis, as well as representatives of Turks and other peoples who love Azerbaijan, participated in those events.
Besides, the meeting pointed out that a forum of Azerbaijani youth living in Eastern Anatolia is planned in the near future.
The guests were told about the successful activities of the Igdir Azerbaijan House and learned that the 31 Azerbaijani Houses in 20 countries in total are an important platform that creates new opportunities for strengthening the unity of Azerbaijanis living abroad, preserving their native language and national customs and traditions.
To note, that the delegation includes the head of the Igdir Azerbaijan House Ziya Zakir Acar, the rector of Igdir University Ekrem Gurel, the rector of Kars Qafqaz University Husnu Kapu, the rector of Artvin Çoruh University İbrahim Aydın, the rector of Agri Ibrahim Chechen University Ilhami Gulcin, the rector of Bolu Izzet Abant Baysal University Mustafa Alisarli, the rector of Erzurum Technical University Bülent Cakmak, the rector of Van Yuzuncu Yil University Hamdullah Sevli, the rector of Ardahan University Ozturk Emiroglu.
During the several-day visit to Azerbaijan, the Turkish delegation is also expected to visit various regions of Karabakh and meet with the staff of Garabagh University, one of the region's prestigious higher education institutions.
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