The Week of Azerbaijan, dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Club at MGIMO, has opened at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). The program of the Week includes communicating with prominent representatives of the diaspora, watching films, holding discussions with cultural figures. "MGIMO’s Azerbaijani students are a strong, visible, sometimes noisy, but very active group of young people who organize and participate in all university events all the time," MGIMO Vice-Rector on General Affairs Artem Malgin said.
The head of the humanitarian programs department of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s representative office in Russia, Tamilla Akhmadova, noted that MGIMO, being a forge of diplomatic personnel, plays an important role in strengthening friendly relations between Russia and Azerbaijan: "Our national leader Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev was awarded the honorary title of doctor of the legendary university. Our current president Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev not only received education here, but also launched his career. This is his alma mater. In connection with the 75th anniversary of the university, speaking with Russian TV channels, he said that the knowledge gained here, the experience gained here, helped him in his professional activities."
Vice president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva pursued a Masters Degree at the university and was elected honorary chairwoman of the Azerbaijan Club in 2006.
MGIMO is a brand widely known not only in the post-Soviet space, but far beyond its borders. Students from all over the world receive education in it. Recently, the first forum of MGIMO graduates was successfully held in Baku.
"Your event is very important. It will give students, teachers and guests an opportunity to get to know Azerbaijan better and discover it for themselves," Tamilla Akhmedova noted.
The Azerbaijan club was created 15 years ago. Representative of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Natiq Aliyev, one of those who stood at its origins, said: "The Azerbaijan Club at MGIMO was established in 2004, but in 2006 was re-established and started operating in a modern way. The logical result of the club's activity was the creation of the Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia on the initiative of Vice President of the Foundation Leyla Khanum Aliyeva, who is the current chairman of this organization. AYOR makes a positive contribution to the development of humanitarian relations between Azerbaijan and Russia."
Deputy Director of the International Energy Policy and Diplomacy Institute Igbal Guliyev believes that "the correct formation of the image of an Azerbaijani, the image of Azerbaijan among future diplomats, businessmen, experts, professors, government and public figures can play an important role in the future, in 10-20 years."
On the day of the opening of the Week of Azerbaijan, an exhibition of works by Askar Mammadov was held at MGIMO, who said: "I never refuse youth. They are very good and well-mannered, they are the future of not just ours, but of the whole world. Youth who receives education here is the most valuable for the whole world."
The event ended with a performance of Fedor Fedotov and Nina Dadasheva, who told Vestnik Kavkaza: "Here young people from other countries can get acquainted with our culture, our fine art, our music. It is a great pleasure and a great honor for me."
