AzIz celebrated Independence Day

Author: Petr Lyukimson, Israel, exclusive to VK

The celebration of Independence Day of Azerbaijan held in the Israeli city of Rehovot far exceeded the planned time frame. Participants of the event were so engrossed by Azerbaijani music and dance that, despite the late hour, they refused to go home.

2012 is the sixth year when the International Association "Azerbaijan-Israel" (AzIz) celebrates the independence of Azerbaijan, and every time, no matter where the celebration takes place, dozens of people living in Israel, natives of the country, come to the celebration. This time, the 21th anniversary of independence, it was decided to celebrate it in Rehovot, in conjunction with the opening of the city branch of AzIz in this city. The celebration was opened by the recently elected new chairman of AzIz, Knesset member Alex Miller, who noted that during the years of existence as an independent state of Azerbaijan it became the most developed and stable country in the Caucasus region. According to him, each year the relations with Azerbaijan are becoming more important for Israel. The balanced policy by President Ilham Aliyev, who continued his work of his father - the national leader Heydar Aliyev, played an important role in the breakthrough that Azerbaijan has made in recent decades. Miller also said that he intended in the near future to once again raise the question painful for both countries, the issue of payment of pensions by Azerbaijan to its former citizens living now in Israel. According to the chairman of AzIz, when recently Ukraine has signed pension agreement with Israel, it is time to address this issue with Azerbaijan.

Some leaders of AzIz believe that Miller should not raise this issue, as in resolving it the Azerbaijani leadership will face many "pitfalls", and Israel must in this case understand it, let alone the fact that Miller should not talk about it at the celebration.

The speech of the Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center Egyany Salman or Egyany Khanum, as many who were present turned to her, was of particular interest to the audienc. It was a short but succinct report on the history of Azerbaijani statehood and, at the same time, the role of Jews in the history and culture of Azerbaijan. According to Egyany Khanum, it is revealing that the Jews have been part of the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918-20, and continue to play an important role in various fields of life of modern Azerbaijan. The fact that Israel has developed such warm and friendly relations with Azerbaijan, according Egyany Salman, is quite natural.

One of the most notable events of the celebration in Rehovot was the decision to establish a new branch of the Association AzIz; Roman Manashirov, the son of the player of legendary football team "Neftchi", was unanimously elected its chairman. CEO of AzIz, Lev Spivak, read out to the participants of the solemn assembly the welcome address by member of City Council of Rehovot Yefim Zaika who helped to organize the event. Then the concert began, where Azeri folk songs and songs by Azerbaijani composers sounded so contagiously that soon the hall turned into a big dance floor.

The Mountain Jews were significant part of the audience, including such prominent figures of the community as a writer and artist Frida Yusufov, head of the Sholumi Center Shaul Siman-Tov, poet Batsion Abramov. "We, former citizens of Azerbaijan, always follow the events in the country. Moreover, many of us have relatives and close friends there. We are glad to see and hear how successfully Azerbaijan is developing, and every year Baku becomes more and more attractive and beautiful... Friendly attitude of President Ilham Aliyev to the Jewish population of the republic is also quite pleasant, as well as his policy towards the State of Israel "- Siman-Tov said.