The Centre of Culture named after Heydar Aliyev has been opened after major repairs and restoration at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Uzbekistan.
The opening ceremony was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Uzbekistani Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyayev.
President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the monument to great leader Heydar Aliyev outside the center.
During familiarization with the building, it was indicated that the center is located in Heydar Aliyev Street in the center of Mirabad district of Tashkent, which is densely populated by Azerbaijanis. There are museums of Heydar Aliyev, of the history of Azerbaijani statehood and of the history of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan here.
Initially, President Ilham Aliyev visited the Heydar Aliyev museum. It has a collection of materials documenting different periods of the life and work of the nationwide leader, photographs of his meetings with leaders of different countries and statements by prominent figures about Heydar Aliyev.
While touring the museum of the history of Azerbaijani statehood, President Ilham Aliyev was provided with detailed information about the maps of Azerbaijan whose territory once covered 400,000 square kilometers, historical documents and outstanding personalities.
The exhibits collected at the museum of history of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan dwell upon ancient historical and cultural ties between the two countries and their developing relationship today.
President Ilham Aliyev also toured the center’s conference hall.
It was indicated that an ensemble of Azerbaijani music, dance and folk groups would operate at the Culture Center. An Azerbaijani school and a library have also been established here.
After familiarization with the center, President Ilham Aliyev met with members of the Azerbaijani Diaspora.
Congratulating compatriots on the opening of the center, President Ilham Aliyev said:
- I heartily congratulate you. I congratulate you on the opening of this beautiful culture center after its overhaul. Six years ago, together with respected Mr. Mirziyayev, we celebrated the opening of the Center of Azerbaijani Culture here. The building may have been appropriate for that period, but the present one is certainly more in keeping with the present time. Therefore, the decision was made to renovate the Center of Culture and this beautiful, magnificent and beautiful facility has emerged with direct participation of the Embassy and great support of the Uzbek government. In other words, this culture center has a six-year history, but today it is embarking on a new period in its life. The overhaul has been held with very high quality and taste.
In essence, the center is the embodiment of the Uzbek-Azerbaijan friendship. There is also a museum of the Uzbek-Azerbaijan friendship here. It carries the name of great leader Heydar Aliyev. It is also significant, because great leader Heydar Aliyev has always exerted great efforts for the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The relationship between our two peoples in Soviet times were very close, were based on brotherhood. And in the time of independence the leaders of two countries - Heydar Aliyev and Islam Karimov - have played a very important role in achieving the current level of bilateral relations.
In other words, our friendship has a great history and deep roots. But in recent years, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan already as independent countries, have raised this cooperation to a high level.
Heydar Aliyev has always treated the Uzbek people with great sympathy and love. I am very glad that these wonderful feelings for the memory of Heydar Aliyev live in Uzbekistan, in the heart of the Uzbek people. This history was also remembered in a meeting with respected Islam Abduganievich today. In his remarks, President Karimov expressed sincere and warm words of about great leader Heydar Aliyev. Our countries are friendly and brotherly states. Our peoples are friendly and brotherly, too. As noted in meetings today, we do not need an interpreter. We understand each other's language and have the same approach to issues in all international organizations. Today, I emphasized that Uzbekistan has always supported the just cause of Azerbaijan, that it supports the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity not only through official statements, but also by voting for Azerbaijan's position in the United Nations General Assembly. Today, the Uzbek President reiterated this principled position.
There are multilateral relations between us - in the political, economic and other spheres. Most importantly, we are sincere friends, brothers. This day will probably take its place in the history of our relationship, because the things we are doing today will play a very important role in the development of our relations.
This is my second official visit to Uzbekistan. During the first visit, we, together with distinguished President Karimov, opened a monument to the great son of Azerbaijan, Nizami Ganjavi. Two years ago, during an official visit of Islam Karimov to Azerbaijan, a monument to the great son of the Uzbek people, Alisher Navoiy, was opened in Baku. Today a new period is beginning in the life of the Culture Center named after Heydar Aliyev. All these events show that the relations between us have very deep roots and are filled with great meaning.
I want to cordially congratulate you on this wonderful event. Representatives of Uzbekistan’s Azerbaijani Diaspora, the Uzbek public are gathered here. You, as worthy citizens of Uzbekistan, are contributing to its development. But at the same time, you represent Azerbaijan. I know that are all conditions have been created for the Azerbaijanis. In other words, there is no discrimination and you, as worthy citizens of Uzbekistan, are able to exercise all rights. In some sense, you are playing a very important role in the relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan because your work and activities here are strengthening our relationship. Of course, you know that Azerbaijan has always been interested in you and paid attention to your affairs. We will continue to strive for further development of communication with the Azerbaijanis living in other countries around the world. I heartily congratulate you again and wish you success.
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A researcher from the Institute of Microbiology of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Sudaba Mammadova, expressed her gratitude to the head of state for the continuous attention being paid to the Azerbaijanis living abroad:
- Mr. President, let me welcome you on behalf of the Azerbaijani Diaspora. Welcome to Uzbekistan! We are celebrating a truly historic day today. Mr. President, it was on your personal initiative that this building was renovated and is now being handed over to us. All of us are expressing our appreciation to you, thank you, thank you very much. We are delighted with every visit of yours to Uzbekistan. We are expressing our appreciation to you. We are always with the homeland. Wherever we are, all of us, the Azerbaijanis, are and will be striving to be on top among other states and nations. Thank you very much.
President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. Congratulations.
The meeting participants thanked the Azerbaijani President again for the contribution he is making to the development of friendly and fraternal relations between the two peoples.
Then a picture was taken.
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While at the exhibition hall of the Culture Center, President Ilham Aliyev toured the exhibition of works by the late Azerbaijani sculptor, Eynulla Aliyev, who lived in Samarkand.
