Brussels hosts 7th meeting of European Azerbaijanis Congress

The seventh meeting of the European Azerbaijanis Congress has been recently held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

The leaders of 11 coordination councils uniting tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis in 27 European countries, more than 50 diaspora organizations, as well as the members of the diaspora engaged in science, culture, sports, media and business, representatives of the Azerbaijani embassy in Belgium, Deputy Chairmen of the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora Vagif Seyidbayov and Elshad Aliyev attended the event, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Baku-based Report news agency.

The Azerbaijani national anthem was performed and the blessed memory of martyrs who died for the country’s territorial integrity was revered in a minute of silence.

While making the opening remarks, President of European Azerbaijanis Congress Sahil Gasimov greeted the delegates and guests of the event.

While speaking at the event, Seyidbayov noted that the European Azerbaijanis Congress, which launched its activity on April 12, 2004, has contributed to the promotion of the Azerbaijani language and culture in the past period, conveyed Azerbaijani realities to the European community. Appreciation was expressed to the leadership and members of European Azerbaijanis Congress for their contributions.

The important steps are planned to be taken to expand the scale of diaspora and lobbying activity in Europe in accordance with the strategy outlined at the fifth Congress of World Azerbaijanis held in Azerbaijan’s liberated Shusha city.

For this purpose, it was said to be necessary to change the European Azerbaijanis Congress and create a single form of management. Coordinating councils established in most European countries to coordinate the activity of various diaspora organisations were cited as an example.

 “The work carried out in the past period has once again confirmed that the activity of the coordinating councils deserve approval. We witnessed this during the events in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz District, the second Karabakh war, the evacuation of our compatriots during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as during the current events in Ukraine,” the deputy chairman added.

A representative of the Azerbaijani embassy in Belgium has noted that it is pleasant that Azerbaijan's foreign policy is intensively developing in parallel with diaspora activity in Western countries, including Belgium, which has become Europe’s political center.

 “This testifies to the successful foreign and diaspora policy of our country, the result of the great work of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora in this sphere. The most important thing is that it also demonstrates the selfless activity of our compatriots,” the representative of the Azerbaijani embassy in Belgium added.

The State Committee on Work with Diaspora’s video footage on the activity of the Azerbaijani diaspora was demonstrated as part of the event.

Then the report of the European Azerbaijanis Congress was heard.

Chairperson of the Azerbaijani-Turkish Women's Union Tanzila Rustamkhanli, Secretary General of the European Azerbaijanis Congress, Co-Chairman of the Finland-Azerbaijan Association Arzu Oqtay, Honorary President of the European Azerbaijanis Congress Bashar Komur, Chairperson of the "Assembly of Azerbaijanis of Brabant Province" Ofelya Babayeva, Chairman of the "Veten" Society in Denmark Safar Sadigi, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Cultural Association "Azeri" in Italy, Professor of the Milan Conservatory Mais Nuriyev, Head of the House of Azerbaijan in Paris, Secretary General of the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan in France Mirvari Fataliyeva, Chairman of the Dutch Azerbaijani-Turkish Cultural Association Ilkhan Ashkin were discussing the report.

While expressing their attitude towards the activity of the European Azerbaijanis Congress, which is one of the biggest organisations in the history of the Azerbaijani diaspora, the speakers approved the structural changes, put forward proposals and wished success to the new composition of the organisation which will be elected.

A decision was made at the event to change the Charter of European Azerbaijanis Congress in connection with the creation of a new form of management in accordance with current requirements.

At the same time, new directions for the strategic activity of European Azerbaijanis Congress have been outlined to coordinate the activity of diaspora organisations and manage the Azerbaijanis living in Europe from a single center.

The new members of the European Azerbaijanis Congress board were elected as a result of the voting.