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Qabil Ashirov

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An international conference, entitled "Along the traces of the Karabakh national heritage", was held in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on February 23 to mark the 31st anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports.

The conference was jointly organized by the Azerbaijani embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Azerbaijani Youth Foundation, and the For Pure Life Youth Public Union.

The adviser to the Bosnian member of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina, deputies from Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina, scientists, well-known public and political figures, members of non-governmental organizations, diplomatic corps and mass media representatives accredited in the country, Azerbaijani students took part in the conference.

The participants first commemorated the victims of the Khojaly genocide with a minute of silence. Then the national anthems of both countries were played.

Ambassador Vilayat Guliyev, MP Mushfiq Jafarov, Chairman of Srebrenica Mothers Public Union Munira Shubasic, Chairman of Post-Conflict Research Center Velma Saric, well-known young analyst Admir Lisica spoke at the event.

Vilayat Guliyev informed the participants in the conference, organized within the framework of the 15^th anniversary of the international “Justice for Khojaly!” campaign, about the implementation of the policy of ethnic cleansing in the territories of Azerbaijan during the occupation of Armenia, the commissioning of serious crimes against the civilian population and the destruction of centuries-old historical, cultural and religious monuments. He gratefully recalled the adoption of the resolution "Recognition and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the House of Peoples of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

MP M. Jaffarov noted that despite the fact that 31 years have passed since the Khojaly genocide, committed by the Armenians, and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan have not been given a fair assessment by international organizations and the criminals have not yet been punished. The MP said that the Khojaly genocide stands in line with the terrible tragedies of the century such as Khatyn, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Songmi.

Other speakers stated that the Armenian armed forces suddenly attacked the city of Khojaly on the night of February 25-26, 1992, killing civilians, as well as 63 children with particular cruelty and mercilessness, some were seriously injured, captured, tortured, and then disappeared. Speakers added that the crimes of ethnic cleansing committed in Khojaly are part of Armenia's systematic policy of violence, which is based on the fascist ideology that inculcates the racial supremacy of Armenians and hatred against Azerbaijanis.

Later, the documentary film "Ice Statue and Iron Fist" prepared by the Khazar Media Center was shown, and there was an informative presentation called "End of 30 years of longing - 44 days". At the same time, the participants got acquainted with the photo and painting exhibition depicting the horrors of the Khojaly tragedy.

Within the framework of the event, Ambassador V. Guliyev was also interviewed by the media.

The members of the Azerbaijani delegation visited the memorial complex erected in memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide in Friendship Park, which was restored with the financial support of the Azerbaijani state and the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Sarajevo. The participants in the event laid a wreath at the monument and commemorated the victims of the tragedy.

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