(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Qabil Ashirov read more An international conference, entitled 'Along the traces of the
Karabakh national heritage', was held in the city of Sarajevo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, on February 23 to mark the 31st anniversary
of the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports.
The conference was jointly organized by the Azerbaijani embassy
to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Azerbaijani Youth Foundation, and
the For Pure Life Youth Public Union.
The adviser to the Bosnian member of the Presidium of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, deputies from Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina,
scientists, well-known public and political figures, members of
non-governmental organizations, diplomatic corps and mass media
representatives accredited in the country, Azerbaijani students
took part in the conference.
The participants first commemorated the victims of the Khojaly
genocide with a minute of silence. Then the national anthems of
both countries were played.
Ambassador Vilayat Guliyev, MP Mushfiq Jafarov, Chairman of
Srebrenica Mothers Public Union Munira Shubasic, Chairman of
Post-Conflict Research Center Velma Saric, well-known young analyst
Admir Lisica spoke at the event.
Vilayat Guliyev informed the participants in the conference,
organized within the framework of the 15th anniversary
of the international“Justice for Khojaly!” campaign, about the
implementation of the policy of ethnic cleansing in the territories
of Azerbaijan during the occupation of Armenia, the commissioning
of serious crimes against the civilian population and the
destruction of centuries-old historical, cultural and religious
monuments. He gratefully recalled the adoption of the resolution
'Recognition and respect for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan' by the House of Peoples of
the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
MP M. Jaffarov noted that despite the fact that 31 years have
passed since the Khojaly genocide, committed by the Armenians, and
other occupied territories of Azerbaijan have not been given a fair
assessment by international organizations and the criminals have
not yet been punished. The MP said that the Khojaly genocide stands
in line with the terrible tragedies of the century such as Khatyn,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Songmi.
Other speakers stated that the Armenian armed forces suddenly
attacked the city of Khojaly on the night of February 25-26, 1992,
killing civilians, as well as 63 children with particular cruelty
and mercilessness, some were seriously injured, captured, tortured,
and then disappeared. Speakers added that the crimes of ethnic
cleansing committed in Khojaly are part of Armenia's systematic
policy of violence, which is based on the fascist ideology that
inculcates the racial supremacy of Armenians and hatred against
Azerbaijanis.
Later, the documentary film 'Ice Statue and Iron Fist' prepared
by the Khazar Media Center was shown, and there was an informative
presentation called 'End of 30 years of longing - 44 days'. At the
same time, the participants got acquainted with the photo and
painting exhibition depicting the horrors of the Khojaly
tragedy.
Within the framework of the event, Ambassador V. Guliyev was
also interviewed by the media.
The members of the Azerbaijani delegation visited the memorial
complex erected in memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide in
Friendship Park, which was restored with the financial support of
the Azerbaijani state and the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation in Sarajevo. The participants in the event laid a wreath
at the monument and commemorated the victims of the tragedy.
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