Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

An Azerbaijani cultural center opened in New York on Sunday, with an aim to continue promoting the abundant Azerbaijani culture around the world.

The solemn opening ceremony was attended by officials of the permanent representation of Azerbaijan at the United Nations, foreign diplomats, representatives of cultural centers and diaspora organizations of Turkic-speaking countries, Jewish communities and business people.

The head of the cultural center, Azerbaijani honorary artist Telman Jalilov, said the main objective of the entity is to strengthen friendly ties between the two countries and promote broader representation of Azerbaijani culture in the United States.

The people who have made an outstanding contribution to the diaspora activity were awarded with honorary diplomas.

The Azerbaijani diaspora has cultural centers around the world. The World Azerbaijanis Congress, which unites members of Azerbaijani communities around the globe, was the first step in Azerbaijani diaspora's unification, and it was held in Istanbul in November 1990. The Union of Azerbaijani Cultural Centers as well as the Coordination Council were established as well.

President Ilham Aliyev called on the Azerbaijani diaspora to open more cultural centers around the world during the third congress of world Azerbaijanis held in Baku in 2011.

Azerbaijan's State Committee on Work with Diaspora headed by Nazim Ibrahimov was established in November 2002 to handle communication with the diaspora and to facilitate establishment of new societies and organizations to popularize Azerbaijani history, literature, traditions and other aspects of life.

These organizations mainly enroll Azerbaijani youths studying abroad, who help more people in Europe to learn about the tragedy of Azerbaijan -- its Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.