Path of unity and strength The Iron Fist, historical justice

What a joy it is to return to the places of permanent residence that you were once forced to leave. Of course, it is not only joy, but also admiration and elation. And, naturally, pride. Pride in your country. In its valiant army. In its society. In its people.

At the heart of all this lies the factor of Azerbaijani identity, which embodies both the unity of the people with the state and the cohesion within the country of all representatives of the Azerbaijani nation, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation.

All this was clearly visible during President Ilham Aliyev’s recent meeting in the Khojavend district with residents of the settlements of Girmizibazar, Hadrut, and the village of Sos. As one resident put it, the return has put an end to 30 years of longing.

The president, describing the current situation a successful implementation of the “Great Return” programme, declared that we are all witnessing historic days. Especially now, with the fifth anniversary of the glorious victory approaching. A Victory thanks to which the entire world rightfully recognises the Azerbaijani people as a victorious nation — who in 44 days and one more day achieved the world’s only absolute, complete, and just triumph of the past 80 years. And today, that same nation is building in times of peace.

And in this lies Azerbaijan’s unique example for the world — namely, the attainability of historical justice based on full compliance with all norms and principles of international law, coupled with a brilliant and seamless transition to constructive activity on the ancestral Azerbaijani lands liberated from Armenian occupation.

Today, the creative potential of the Azerbaijani people has shone with particular vibrancy, confirmed, for instance, by the progress seen in the areas recently visited by the President of Azerbaijan. Thus, in the village of Shushakand in the Khojaly district, existing power lines have been restored, three water reservoirs and a sub-artesian well have been rehabilitated, a gas line has been laid, the drinking water supply network has been repaired, and a flag square has been built, among other works. Similar efforts have been carried out in the village of Sos and the settlement of Girmizibazar in the Khojavend district, where by the end of 2025, 217 private houses will have been restored.

On September 14, President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of a mosque built in the settlement of Hadrut in the Khojavend district, where the construction of 28 two-storey private houses is also under way. A number of key facilities were also inaugurated here, including a hub substation, a Digital Management Centre, a new military unit, and the 12.5 km Fuzuli–Hadrut motorway, among others.

That same day, Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation of the village of Garakhanbayli in the Fuzuli district, where more than 400 families are to be resettled in the first stage alone. The projected population and number of houses have been determined with the village’s development over the next twenty years in mind.

And finally, the head of state took part in the opening of the Karabakh University Clinic building, along with the academic block of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. This brings to mind his words from September a year ago, at the inauguration of Karabakh University following its reconstruction, when he announced that a medical faculty would soon begin operating within the institution. As both we and the world have grown accustomed to — once President Ilham Aliyev has said it, it is delivered on time!

One of the distinctive features of the faculty is the inclusion of an arts programme in the curriculum as an elective subject. This will help students develop skills in self-expression, teamwork, and communication.

Creation…creation…creation…. Today and tomorrow. On lands that the Armenian occupiers and their patrons had no intention of returning to their rightful owners and had even levelled to the ground.

But, as President Aliyev voiced with joy, “you have already come and settled on your native land, the land of your ancestors,” where every condition has been created: “Above all, this is the native Karabakh region.”

The scale of construction there is unrivalled anywhere in the world. It has become a reality thanks to the will and strength of the Azerbaijani people, “their attachment to the Motherland, the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani soldier and the unity of our people.” Proof of this unfolded before the eyes of the whole world. Following this statement, the head of state delivered a powerful message to the anti-Azerbaijani forces, declaring that "no one can stand in our way," because our cause is just. The Azerbaijani people do not seek the lands of others, but will not surrender a single inch of their own territory.

At the same time, all opponents of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty must always remember that the Iron Fist of our people is ever-present. It is precisely this that makes creation here possible, including the implementation of projects to develop social infrastructure on the liberated lands.

As a result, in recent days, families who arrived in the village of Seyidbayli in the Khojaly district as part of a resettlement group were handed the keys to their new homes. In parallel, the first group of returnees also resettled in the village of Dashbulag in the same district.

In this context, President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that against the backdrop of Karabakh’s and East Zangezur’s picturesque landscapes, beautiful mountains, rich forests, and springs, all conditions have been created for a comfortable life, for building anew, and for providing quality education to children, among other things.

“From now on,” the head of state stressed, “the Azerbaijani people will live in conditions of peace.”

Let us agree that to achieve such success in developing the territories liberated from occupation within such a short span of time — by historical standards — and almost entirely through our own efforts is a feat far from attainable for every country. Only a nation that is immensely patriotic, united, and courageous can realise its just aspirations!