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AGHDAM, Azerbaijan, September 16. An international scientific-practical conference dedicated to Sheikh Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi Shirvani has continued in Aghdam as part of the 7th meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Trend's Karabakh bureau reports.
The conference participants arrived in Aghdam city. The event began with the playing of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan.
In his speech, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, said that the Aghdam Juma Mosque is remembered as a "martyr mosque" from the time of the First Karabakh War.
He recalled that more than 67 mosques and shrines in Karabakh were destroyed during the occupation.
"During the occupation, more than 67 mosques and shrines in Karabakh were destroyed, and pigs were kept in the Aghdam mosque. Anti-Islamic slogans were even scrawled on the mosque's walls. This is an insult not only to the Muslims of Azerbaijan but to Muslims all over the world," Pashazade noted.
He emphasized that large-scale restoration and construction work is currently underway in Karabakh under the leadership of the head of state, with mosques being both restored and newly built.
Emin Huseynov, the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts, noted that Aghdam—once a symbol of destruction and sorrow—is today transforming into a symbol of peace, security, and confidence in the future.
He noted that, within the framework of the "Great Return" State Program, a new life is being built upon the ruins, with residential neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, and cultural and public facilities under construction.
"This represents not only the physical but also the spiritual revival of Karabakh. In the liberated territories, destroyed mosques are being restored, and new ones are being built. Karabakh is not merely being rebuilt; its spiritual life is also being revitalized," Huseynov said.
Hamid Shahriari, Secretary-General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, emphasized the importance of ensuring peace and stability both in the region and globally.
"We hope that lasting peace will soon be achieved in the South Caucasus as well," he pointed out.
Fatih Mehmet Karaca, a religious representative from Türkiye, described the OTS initiative to bring together Muslim religious leaders as a move that inspires hope and confidence in the future.
Uzbekistan’s Mufti Nuriddin Kholignazar expressed his satisfaction with the reopening of the Aghdam Juma Mosque for use by the Muslim community.
Other speakers also highlighted the significance of the conference and highly commended the restoration of mosques in the territories liberated from occupation.
Afterwards, the conference participants performed prayers at the Aghdam Juma Mosque.
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11:31
Participants of the international scientific-practical conference, held within the framework of the 7th meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), have arrived in Aghdam city, Trend's Karabakh bureau reports.
The conference—dedicated to the prominent thinker of the Islamic world, Azerbaijani scholar, and theologian-philosopher Sheikh Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi Shirvani—is continuing its proceedings in Aghdam.
The conference agenda includes discussions on Shirvani’s scientific and philosophical legacy, his role in the Islamic world, and the study of his heritage in modern times.
On September 14, the 7th meeting of the heads of Muslim religious boards from the OTS member states was held in Baku.
The heads of religious institutions from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated in the meeting. The Baku Declaration was adopted at the conclusion of the event.
On September 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation comprising members and observers of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the OTS, co-organizers of the Yahya Bakuvi International Conference, and members of the Supreme Religious Council of Caucasian Peoples.
