BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 6. Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vagif Seyidbayov, held a series of meetings during his working visit to Canada, Trend reports via the committee.
Seyidbayov closely familiarized himself with the activities of the Toronto Azerbaijan House. Head of the Azerbaijan House and the “Vatan” Azerbaijan Art and Culture Center, Lalin Hasanova, provided detailed information on the center’s work and its upcoming plans.
The meeting emphasized that Azerbaijan Houses operating in various countries around the world play a special role in networking compatriots, preventing feelings of isolation far from the homeland, and fostering national unity among the younger generation. The deputy chair also visited the “My Azerbaijan” weekend school operating under the Azerbaijan House. Students proudly said that they have made Azerbaijani friends at the school, learned their mother tongue, and performed national dances of Azerbaijan at festivals and events. Teachers spoke about the indispensable role of weekend schools in educating young compatriots in a national spirit and preserving and promoting Azerbaijan’s rich culture, expressing gratitude to the Azerbaijani state for its attention and care toward compatriots abroad.
As part of the visit, a meeting was held with the Azerbaijani community in Canada. The deputy chairman noted that large-scale projects organized with the support of the committee in various countries are aimed at strengthening solidarity among compatriots. Participants shared proposals on building strong ties within the community, creating mutual support mechanisms, and facilitating the adaptation of newly arrived compatriots in Canada. Community elders thanked the committee for its support in preserving national identity and the mother tongue among Azerbaijanis living in Canada.
Seyidbayov also visited the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto. He reviewed works written in the Azerbaijani language, rare books by Azerbaijani authors translated into other languages, including a manuscript of Nizami Ganjavi’s Iqbalnama (The Book of Iqbal, also known as the Book of Fortune) dating back to 1517, the first Tabriz-printed edition of Fuzuli’s “Leyli and Majnun,” and illuminated copies of the Holy Quran from the 18th century. Lala Javanshir, who oversees the University of Toronto’s Near and Middle Eastern and Islamic world book collections, provided information on how Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage is represented and preserved at the university.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
