Cultural memory of Western Azerbaijan comes to life at prestigious Polish university PHOTO

On October 14, the Western Azerbaijan Community launched the exhibition titled "Western Azerbaijan in Our Cultural Memory" at the Warsaw School of Economics, one of Poland’s most prestigious higher education institutions.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Poland, Nargiz Gurbanova, spoke at the opening ceremony, highlighting Azerbaijan’s deep cultural heritage, which has been shaped over thousands of years, Caliber.Az reports. 

Gurbanova particularly emphasized the historical importance of the Iravan Khanate, noting its significance not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire South Caucasus. She also lamented the destruction of many historical monuments and mosques in the region, which occurred during the deportations of Azerbaijanis.

Ulviya Zulfikar, head of the press service of the Western Azerbaijan Community, addressed the audience and recounted the series of deportations that ultimately led to the expulsion of all Azerbaijanis from Armenia. She underlined that Armenia inflicted severe damage on the cultural heritage of Western Azerbaijan, reducing Azerbaijani settlements to ruins and destroying centuries-old monuments. Zulfikar mentioned that more than 300 mosques and hundreds of cemeteries were demolished during this time.

She condemned the destruction of this cultural heritage as a crime against humanity and called on the international community to support the Western Azerbaijan Community’s efforts to achieve justice.

The exhibition, which runs until October 25, showcases artefacts and exhibits that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Western Azerbaijan, offering insight into the region’s historical legacy.

By Tamilla Hasanova