Azerbaijan’s support praised at ceremony marking Heydar Aliyev’s 102nd birthday in Türkiye PHOTO

On Thursday, May 23, a solemn ceremony was held at the Heydar Aliyev Primary School in the Azerbaijan District of the Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş to mark the 102nd anniversary of the birth of the architect of Azerbaijani statehood.

The event was attended by Member of Parliament for Kahramanmaraş and former Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişçi, Education Advisor at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Ankara Najiba Nasibova, Rector of Sütçü İmam University Professor Alptekin Yasım, Head of the Kahramanmaraş Education Directorate Erhan Demiroz, representatives of political parties, school administration, teachers, and students.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Erhan Demiröz expressed his pride in participating in a ceremony dedicated to a great son of Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing domestic media.

“Today, we honour the great Heydar Aliyev, whose name lives on within the walls of this school. A statesman who remains a role model for millions, he attached great importance to the development and education of youth,” said Demiröz, quoting the founder of Azerbaijani statehood: “Education is the future of a nation.”

Demiröz also expressed his gratitude to the leadership and people of Azerbaijan for their assistance to residents of the disaster-stricken region, particularly in helping to restore the local education system.

Azerbaijani Embassy Education Advisor Najiba Nasibova encouraged the children to follow the legacies of the great Heydar Aliyev and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, to become worthy citizens of their countries, and to stand guard over the unity of Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

Turkish MP Vahit Kirişçi shared his personal memories of Heydar Aliyev, praising the national leader's contribution to the development of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and emphasising that Azerbaijan holds a special place in the heart of every citizen of Türkiye.

Students of the school recited poems dedicated to the brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, followed by children's dance performances.

The event concluded with the opening of an exhibition of photographs and drawings devoted to Heydar Aliyev and the friendship between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

By Tamilla Hasanova