Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the opening of Ashig Alasgar's monument in Baku

- Dear friends, it is a very significant day in our city today. I can even say that it is a very significant day for the country. We are unveiling the statue of Ashiq Alasgar, a prominent representative of Azerbaijan’s ashiq art, in the center of Baku. I would like to sincerely congratulate you and all the people of Azerbaijan on this occasion. This is a truly wonderful event.

As you may know, I signed two decrees three years ago to perpetuate the name of Ashiq Alasgar. Based on the first decree, the 200th anniversary of Ashiq Alasgar was celebrated at a state level. The second decree envisaged erecting a statue of Ashiq Alasgar. Today, in this beautiful location in Baku, in the heart of the city, in a beautiful park, we are unveiling the statue of Ashiq Alasgar.

As you may know, Ashiq Alasgar lived all his life and created in the Goycha district, the ancient land of Azerbaijan, lived a long life there but was forced to leave his native land in the last years of his life. He was 97 years old at the time. In 1918, Armenian savages subjected Azerbaijanis to ethnic cleansing. This was the first deportation of Azerbaijanis from their ancient land in Western Azerbaijan in the 20th century. Unfortunately, our people were subjected to two more waves of deportation after that. Ashiq Alasgar moved to the neighboring Kalbadjar district together with his family. However, his native land never stopped attracting him, although in terms of climate, nature, and beauty Kalbadjar and Goycha districts are not very dissimilar. But his love of the Motherland and his native land was so strong that despite all the perils, he returned to his native village of Agkilsa in about three years and died there a few years later.

We all know very well that the 150th anniversary of Ashiq Alasgar’s birth was celebrated on the Soviet Union-wide scale on the initiative of the National Leader in the 1970s and his statue was erected in his native Agkilsa village on the occasion of his jubilee. When our people were subjected to the third wave of deportation, Armenian vandals destroyed that statue. We are seeing that today. In Karabakh and East Zangezur, our historical sites, monuments to prominent personalities, mosques, palaces and cemeteries were destroyed by Armenian vandals. This practice is not new, this injustice, this brutality has been committed against us in front of the whole world for centuries.

Today, those attending this event will talk about the activities of Ashiq Alasgar. I simply want to say that his works have left an indelible mark in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people and that even 200 years on he still remains in the memory of our people as an outstanding personality, a patriot, a person who loved his people and homeland. Of course, we see the high spirit of our people in his example. Let me repeat, he was forced to leave his land at the age of 97 but returned there at the age of 100, despite all the dangers - the dangers hadn’t entirely faded by that time.

As I mentioned, our nation was subjected to three waves of deportations in the 20th century – first in 1918, second in the 1940-50s, and third in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a certain period, after the two deportations, the Azerbaijani people returned to their ancestral lands, not all of them but a large part of them did. This gives us legitimate confidence that the Western Azerbaijanis who were subjected to the third wave of ethnic cleansing will also return to their ancestral lands. There are many reasons for this. Of course, the love of the Motherland, those lands have not been and will not be forgotten. The next generations of Western Azerbaijanis who have not seen those lands are living with a dream for the Motherland.

Today, we are seeing the indomitable spirit of the Azerbaijani people in the example of our compatriots returning to Karabakh and East Zangezur. Our compatriots from Karabakh and East Zangezur, who had not seen those lands before, are eagerly and impatiently waiting for the day of their return. They are looking forward to the implementation of the Great Return program. In fact, this program is already underway. The people of Karabakh who had never lived in those lands but lived with the dream of returning to those lands are now returning to Karabakh. I am sure that we will see the same during the period of return to Western Azerbaijan. Because our kids, our schoolchildren are going to school in Shusha, Lachin, Khankendi, Khojaly, Fuzuli today. September 15, the first day of school, showed that. It was a truly festive and holiday atmosphere in all these regions and throughout Azerbaijan. I am sure that our compatriots from Western Azerbaijan will experience the same feelings. Everything is in our hands. During the occupation of Karabakh, each of us sometimes experienced feelings of disappointment and mistrust. It felt like this injustice, which weighed on everyone’s hearts, would last forever. But we pushed those thoughts aside, lived with faith, and understood that it was up to us to restore justice—no one else would do it for us, and no one had the intention or desire to.

I already said this several times in numerous meetings with foreign representatives during the years of occupation. I heard opinions that we had to come to terms with this reality, that Karabakh was already lost, that we needed to make peace with Armenia, that we needed to prepare the young generation for peace, that there was no military solution to this conflict and other ideas. Perhaps sometimes, those voicing such opinions were sincere, but sometimes they did this to divert us from our path, to instill pessimism in us. Life and reality have shown that everything is in our own hands. The Second Karabakh War, the anti-terrorist operation, and the year that followed have proven that when there is a strong will, unity between the people and the government, and an unbreakable spirit, no force or organization can stand in the way. The liberation of Karabakh and East Zangezur, the complete restoration of our sovereignty – and I know this – have further increased this optimism, these ideas and hopes among Western Azerbaijanis. Even during the occupation, about 10 years ago, perhaps even before that, in some of my speeches I voiced my thoughts about Western Azerbaijan. We should always set goals. These goals are strategic and tactical, short- and long-term. But if the goals are not identified correctly, it will not be possible to achieve any results. Goals should reflect the truth and justice, as well as the real situation and our real power. The stronger we are, the higher the chances that our voice will be heard. Today, during the year following the anti-terror operation, we are seeing that. In fact, during the first weeks and months, many baseless accusations were made against us, sanctions were imposed on us. In order to impose even greater sanctions on us, the superpowers, at least those who consider themselves as such, openly attacked us on various international platforms, unleashed a cold war on us. This continues to this day. On the eve of the anniversary of the anti-terror operation, we faced such a large-scale smear and slander campaign again. Can it affect our resolve? Never! Because ours is the cause of justice and our work enjoys the support of the people of Azerbaijan. In fact, this is the work of the Azerbaijani people. The liberation of Karabakh and East Zangezur, the complete restoration of sovereignty were possible thanks to the will of the Azerbaijani people, the heroism and valor of our heroic children.

We marked Remembrance Day three days ago. Once again, we pray for Allah’s mercy for all our martyrs, their heroism will never be forgotten. But along with the sad day of September 27, two holidays were added to our calendar – November 8 and September 20. These are Victory holidays. This Victory will live with us forever.

The unveiling of a statue honoring the prominent figure of Western Azerbaijan today is, above all, a sign of the Azerbaijani people’s respect for the memory of Ashiq Alasgar. At the same time, this statue is a symbol that invites all Western Azerbaijanis and indeed all the people of Azerbaijan to unite for one cause. We are looking forward to that day, we believe, I believe and you believe in that too. The day will come when we will restore the statue of Ashiq Alasgar destroyed by Armenians and hold a similar ceremony in Agkilsa village.