International travelers praise reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories PHOTO

Members of the international travel club Most Traveled People (MTP), currently touring Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, have expressed admiration for the rapid reconstruction and development taking place across the Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur regions.

Among the delegation of travelers from 15 countries is Irish adventurer David Joseph Langan, who shared his experience in the city of Shusha, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“It was a wonderful day in Azerbaijan's Shusha,” he said, adding that visiting a modern post office there was particularly memorable. “A new, technologically advanced branch, incredibly friendly staff – smiles everywhere, excellent service. It was a wonderful day in Karabakh, in Shusha.”

Langan, a passionate postcard enthusiast, emphasised the sentimental value of his visit: “Today I am in Karabakh, in Azerbaijan, for a very special occasion. I have visited post offices all over the world and send postcards to myself and friends – this is not just a memory, but also a way to check how the postal system works.”

He noted, “The postcard sent from Shusha with an image of the fortress will become a special memory for me. When it reaches home, it will be a memory of what was sent from Karabakh. The postcard will have a stamp and a date. I am glad to be here.”

Philippine traveler Djosa Mae Richards, also visiting Shusha for the first time, voiced her admiration for the visible progress made in the region.

“Four years ago there was almost nothing here, and today I see a very beautiful, modern and well-maintained city before me. It's really impressive,” she said. Richards also praised the local hospitality and expressed optimism about the future of the region, noting “the friendliness of local residents” and her hope for its further development.

Echoing similar sentiments, traveler Linda Rose Victoire Byers from California described her visit to Shusha as a unique opportunity to witness the region’s transformation.

“I had a wonderful opportunity to visit this wonderful city and personally observe the progress of construction and restoration work. Karabakh is developing and its development is of great importance for Azerbaijan,” she said.

While in Aghdam, Philippine traveler Arnold Chua reflected on the broader significance of the region’s recovery.

Chua said it was his first visit to Karabakh and noted that the region appeared to be developing in the right direction, with visible progress such as road construction.

He remarked that it felt as though a new future was taking shape, which gave him a sense of hope. Emphasising the resilience of the region, Chua observed that the development signaled the beginning of healing from past wounds.

While the past had not been forgotten, he said, the pain seemed to be gradually fading, leaving only reminders in the form of monuments and symbols of what had once occurred.

The group’s three-day itinerary includes visits to Fuzuli, Khojavand, Shusha, Khankendi, Khojaly, Aghdam, Kalbajar, Lachin, Zangilan, and Jabrayil. Led by the club’s founder, American traveler Charles Veley, the tour aims to familiarise participants with the territories restored after occupation and the scope of ongoing reconstruction efforts.

By Sabina Mammadli