Azerbaijani journalists launch film project on revival of Karabakh, East Zangezur PHOTO

A group of Azerbaijani journalists has embarked on the production of a new documentary that will present to international audiences the large-scale reconstruction and revival taking place in Karabakh and East Zangezur following Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020.

The documentary aims to provide a comprehensive account of the unprecedented restoration and redevelopment initiatives underway across the liberated territories. It will also chronicle the progress of the government-led “Great Return” program, which is facilitating the repatriation of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes, Caliber.Az reports via domestic media.

Filming for the project has already been carried out in the cities and districts of Aghdam, Shusha, Khojaly, and Khankendi. In the coming days, the film crew is scheduled to continue shooting in the regions of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Lachin, Kalbajar, and Zangilan.

The documentary is being produced with the support of a medium-sized grant awarded under the 2025 competition organised by the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organisations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

This media initiative comes in the broader context of Azerbaijan’s post-conflict recovery and territorial reintegration efforts. The 2020 Patriotic War, which broke out on September 27 and lasted 44 days, resulted in the restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over large swathes of its internationally recognised territory that had remained under Armenian occupation since the early 1990s.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces achieved major battlefield gains, liberating the districts of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Gubadli, along with significant parts of the Khojavand and Tartar regions. A turning point in the conflict came with the liberation of the strategic city of Shusha on November 8, just two days before the signing of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia on November 10, 2020.

As stipulated in the agreement, Armenia also withdrew from the Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts, which were peacefully returned to Azerbaijani control by the end of 2020. The outcome of the war marked the end of nearly 30 years of occupation and was celebrated across the country as a historic victory.

In the aftermath of the war, the Azerbaijani government launched the “Great Return” program—an ambitious national initiative focused on rebuilding liberated areas and ensuring the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of displaced Azerbaijanis to their homes. The initiative includes extensive demining operations, the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, the construction of new housing and public facilities, and the establishment of essential services.

To date, thousands of IDPs have already been resettled in newly constructed communities, including in Aghali (Zangilan district), Fuzuli, and Khidirli (Aghdam district). Additional phases of the Great Return continue to progress, making the program a key pillar of Azerbaijan’s long-term strategy for national development, reconciliation, and regional stability.

By Tamilla Hasanova