BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. The victory achieved in Karabakh is a victory for all Azerbaijanis around the world, the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee Gunduz Ismayilov said, Trend's correspondent reports.
He made the statement during a meeting at the Theological Institute as part of a visit by religious leaders to Azerbaijan.
Ismayilov noted that following the victory, measures aimed at strengthening religious and spiritual ties with compatriots living abroad were intensified:
“The great victory we achieved in Karabakh is an opportunity to further strengthen our religious and spiritual ties with our compatriots living in other countries. From this perspective, we view our meeting with you not merely as a visit. We also view it as an opportunity to further strengthen our brotherhood and unity.”
Moreover, Ismayilov emphasized that the meeting of religious leaders at the Theological Institute was no coincidence. He noted that the participation of the family of the fallen martyr in the meeting was also of particular significance.
“Our brothers from Istanbul and Zeynabiye have always dreamed of meeting the martyr’s family, the parents of Azerbaijan’s heroic son. We are wholeheartedly glad that this has become possible,” the deputy chairman said.
According to him, the victory achieved in Karabakh is a victory not only for the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but also for all Azerbaijanis around the world.
“This victory belongs to every Azerbaijani in the world. It also means that everyone who died in Karabakh is a martyr not only of Azerbaijan but also of Azerbaijanis living all over the world,” Ismailov said.
He noted that the martyrs are sacred and dear to all Azerbaijanis around the world.
The Deputy Chairman of the State Committee also highlighted the importance of the Azerbaijan Theological Institute in safeguarding religious and spiritual values.
“The Theological Institute is a blessed place for us. Among the graduates of this university, in this very auditorium, there are martyrs. This is also a very important point,” he emphasized.
According to Ismayilov, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was secured thanks to the unity of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani Army, and the people. He added that the next task facing him now is to protect the country’s spiritual integrity.
“In this hall, at this institute, the defenders of our moral integrity and, at the same time, our religious and spiritual integrity are being educated. We want you to see the atmosphere here with your own eyes. Make sure you understand how our homeland, our fatherland, perceives the religious and spiritual environment,” the vice chairman noted.
He emphasized that some information disseminated from outside about Azerbaijan does not reflect the actual situation in the country:
“Some people from outside try to portray Azerbaijanis in a different light. But what is said is often aimed not at the truth, not at the realities of Azerbaijan, but at the interests of others. That is why our goal in bringing you to this hall and familiarizing you with this environment is for you to see with your own eyes the religious and spiritual reality, the spiritual environment of Azerbaijan.”
Ismayilov stated that the Karabakh issue is not merely a matter of land and territorial integrity.
“Karabakh is also a matter of pride, honor, and the state and national pride of Azerbaijanis around the world,” he said.
The deputy chairman noted that the 44-day Second Karabakh War marked a new phase in Azerbaijan’s history.
“In this war, the 44-day war, we did not merely liberate our lands or ensure our territorial integrity. We also cut off the hand that reached out to take our honor and our identity, and we wiped the stain from our brow. In essence, this is a new birth, a rebirth,” Ismayilov said.
He noted the significant difference between Azerbaijan before September 27 and Azerbaijan after the victory in Karabakh.
“Shusha was a symbol of our territorial integrity in Karabakh. We have reclaimed it,” he added.
Ismayilov further emphasized that the visit of religious leaders to Karabakh is also of great significance. He said that visiting Khojaly and Aghdam will allow us to see firsthand the valor of the Azerbaijani soldier, the unity of the Azerbaijani people, and the strength of the Azerbaijani state.
“Azerbaijan is the homeland of all Azerbaijanis around the world. It is your homeland, too. We are simply citizens. Together with us, you, too, are children of this homeland,” Ismayilov emphasized.
