Ilham Aliyev visited a memorial of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Mehdi Huseynzadeh, in the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica

President Ilham Aliyev and Slovenian President Danilo Türk have visited a memorial of the hero of the Soviet Union, the noble son of the Azerbaijani people, Mehdi Huseynzadeh, in the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica and attended the opening of a memorial museum.

Addressing a ceremony arranged at the Mehdi Huseynzadeh memorial, the mayor of Nova Gorica indicated that it was a pleasure for him to see the Azerbaijani President in the town.

“Mehdi Huseynzadeh was the personality that brings us closer together. His heroism is revered by the population of all surrounding villages and his memory is very much alive in every one of us,” the mayor said and stressed that while German fascism prevented Mehdi Huseynzadeh’s dreams from coming true, it could not break the freedom aspirations of people of this land.

The chairman of the Slovenian-Azerbaijani friendship society, Ivan Bashin, paid tribute to Mehdi Huseynzadeh and spoke about Mikhaylo’s legendary heroism.

Noting that during World War II Azerbaijani soldiers were fighting the enemy as part of the ninth Slovenian guerrilla unit, Bashin said local residents had always treated Mikhaylo with great respect.

Touching upon the activities of the society he is leading, Bashin said its main goal was to expand ties with Azerbaijani organizations in the areas of science, education, culture and economy, and to make a new contribution to bilateral cooperation.

Then a performance of a choir chapel was held.

This was followed by statements from the heads of state.

Addressing the ceremony, Slovenian President Danilo Turk said:

- Dear President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev!

Dear guests from Azerbaijan!

Dear friends, dear fellow citizens and ceremony participants!

First of all, we would like to thank you very much for attending this event. We are very proud to mark this day. In essence, this is further evidence of how close our countries are. I want to highlight that the historical relations between us should become even closer because there are moments in history that bind us together.

We know very well that during World War II soldiers from Slovenia, Azerbaijan and many other countries displayed great valor and courage in fighting the enemy. Another joyful moment is that Slovenia and Azerbaijan are independent countries. We can say that we gained independence at the same time. This year we are marking the 20th anniversary of independence. The countries that have a similar history gained independence as a result of the historical developments of the time. Today, we can be proud of our common history, our past, because representatives of our nations fought against fascism and Nazi. This is a common heritage that binds us together. If it hadn’t been for that fight, we wouldn’t talk about a single Europe today. They fought and sacrificed their lives to create a common space for the peaceful existence of future generations. Therefore, we are very glad today that we can talk about similar aspects of our common heritage and common history.

Today, we must strive for the restoration of the rights breached in various contradictions, existing conflicts and past wars. From this standpoint, we believe that today’s event contains an important cultural message. This is a message of goodwill. By conducting this ceremony we are stating again that we should be closer to each other. We should remember our past and cherish it in our hearts for ever.

I am very pleased to attend this event as President of the Republic of Slovenia today. Today we are attending an important ceremony. I would like to specifically thank President Ilham Aliyev for personally attending this ceremony together with his delegation. This is a symbol of our unity. I do hope that we will be conducting joint activities in the future too. Let me note that this is already a good foundation for the joint steps we are taking. I would like to express a wish for our relations based on this foundation to produce even more tangible results. In conclusion, I would like to thank you and all the ceremony participants very much. Thank you.

Addressing the ceremony afterwards, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear President Danilo Turk!

Dear residents of Shempas and Nova Gorica, dear friends!

It is a very momentous and unforgettable day in the history of Slovenian-Azerbaijani relations today. We are gathered for the opening of a memorial museum of a great son of the Azerbaijani people, Hero Mehdi Huseynzadeh – Mikhaylo.

First of all, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I would like to thank President Danilo Turk, the Slovenian state and people for your great respect for the memory of Mehdi Huseynzadeh.

Together with his Slovenian friends, Mehdi Huseynzadeh fought against fascists as part of a guerilla unit and died as a hero. Thanks to that fight and the joint efforts of our people, we won a collective victory over the evil of fascism. The cherished memory of our heroes always lives on in the hearts of our peoples, and the ceremony today is a graphic example of that.

A total of 600,000 citizens of Azerbaijan fought in World War II, half of them, or 300,000, were killed and never returned home. During the war, Azerbaijani oil workers provided 90 per cent of the fuel that was used by the Soviet army.

It is a very remarkable day for the development of Slovenian-Azerbaijani relations today. New opportunities for further development of these relations are opening up. We are bound together through strong friendship. Our joint economic initiatives are being discussed. There are no disagreements between us as to the prospects for our cooperation.

Respect and kind attitude towards our heroes and their memory are making our relations even stronger. I want to thank the Slovenian state, President of the Republic of Slovenia personally, for this kind attitude. I want to reassure you that the Azerbaijani side, for its part, will make every effort for the development of bilateral relations. Thanks to our joint activities even better results will be achieved.

Today, I am completing my official visit to Slovenia. The two-day visit has been very fruitful. My assessment of the visit results is very positive. I want to thank all of you for inviting me to Slovenia, and for the sincere hospitality our delegation and myself have enjoyed.

In conclusion, I would like to say at the bust of Mehdi Huseyhzadeh: Long live Slovenian-Azerbaijani friendship!

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A children’s choir staged a performance as well.

The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Slovenia took part in the opening of a memorial museum of Mehdi Huseynzadeh.

The heads of state unveiled the memorial plaque.

President Ilham Aliyev and President Danilo Türk reviewed the museum.

All exhibits of the memorial museum of Mehdi Huseynzadeh, who holds a special place in the heroic history of our people, are associated with his name. His feat is carefully described in the museum. The photos taken at the time and the valuable items provided by Mehdi Huseynzadeh’s comrades-in-arms create a full impression about Mikhaylo’s heroism. There is a statue of Mikhaylo at the museum. Also on display are his personal belongings. The images from the film “On distant coasts” about Mehdi Huseynzadeh’s heroism show visitors that the memory of the noble son of the Azerbaijani people lives on in the hearts of all compatriots. The establishment of the memorial is evidence that both Azerbaijani and Slovenian governments have great respect for the memory of Mehdi Huseynzadeh who has sacrificed his life for the liberation of these lands from fascist occupiers.

The local residents attending the ceremony have told the heads of state that the memory of Mehdi Huseynzadeh lives on in their hearts.

President Ilham Aliyev and President Danilo Türk had their pictures taken with the Mehdi Huseynzadeh bust in the background.