Lachin shines bright: A grand celebration of progress and revival Reality exceeds expectations

As it is known, 26 August is celebrated as Lachin City Day, which has become a real holiday for all natives of this city, which is developing at a truly cosmic pace after liberation from almost three decades of Armenian occupation. Let me remind you that this significant day was established by the Order of President Ilham Aliyev “On Establishment of Days of Cities in the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan liberated from occupation”dated 31 July 2023. And the day of 26 August (2023) is the day of the complete liberation of Lachin City from Armenian occupation, under which it remained even after the liberation of the entire Lachin district as a result of the Second Karabakh War. And now (as well as last year) guests from almost all corners of Azerbaijan have come to Lachin to celebrate this wonderful event here on the bank of the Hakari River.

Before delving into the festive events, let me first share a bit about the city itself, which seems to be emerging from a long slumber and is now shining with new vibrancy each month.

Life in Lachin is nothing short of dynamic. New buildings and various facilities are sprouting up almost every week—not just cafés and restaurants, but also cinemas, schools, parks, and green spaces. This isn’t just an impressive list; each of these developments represents the monumental effort of hundreds of people—both locals (whose numbers have now surpassed 2,000) and professionals from different regions of Azerbaijan. Parents are eagerly awaiting the start of the school year, while children, as usual, are less enthusiastic. New schools are ready to welcome students today.

Even as a harsh critic of public service workers, I cannot overlook the work of Azerişıq. Streetlights are installed in almost every corner of the city, making it as bright at night as it is during the day. The dedication of this organization becomes even more apparent when you see the utility poles installed in hard-to-reach places. Their effort is truly admirable.

I’d like to say a few kind words about another challenging sector: the traffic police. Here, they are remarkably polite, courteous, and professional. Sometimes, when interacting with them, one might pinch themselves to confirm that this is not a dream but reality. In the capital, finding traffic police officers with such demeanor is rare, even under the brightest lights provided by Azerişıq.

In Lachin, there are two active supermarkets where business is thriving. While the selection may not be as broad as in the capital, even visitors from the city can find items to their liking. Although using credit cards for payments at local restaurants remains challenging (often restricted to card-to-card transactions), both supermarkets handle credit card payments smoothly, provided there are sufficient funds available.

It's also encouraging to see the presence of taxi drivers in Lachin, who have established regular spots for their operations. The availability of taxis indicates a demand for transportation. Just last spring, there were hardly any taxis in Lachin itself, with most operating in the surrounding villages of the Lachin district.