A large-scale meeting with the Azerbaijani community was held in Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Türkiye. Fuad Muradov, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Diaspora Affairs, attended the meeting.
The gathering brought together heads of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations operating in Ankara, intellectuals and members of the public. It began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, followed by a respectful commemoration of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of both countries.
Arzuman Azafli, Chairman of the Azafli Social Assistance and Culture Association, addressed the meeting and said that organizing such sincere gatherings and the continued support of the Azerbaijani state are highly valuable to Azerbaijanis living abroad.
Shamil Ayrim, a member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye of Azerbaijani origin, spoke about several aspects of community activities and noted the continued attention and support provided to Azerbaijanis in Türkiye. Perviz Mammadzade, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Türkiye-Azerbaijan Associations, provided detailed information about ongoing work and projects.
Speakers particularly emphasized the importance of improving coordination among diaspora organizations and further developing ties with Turkish society.
Beginning his speech with the words, “The diaspora policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev is built on long-term and systematic cooperation, mutual support, professional organization and strengthening solidarity around common goals,” Fuad Muradov provided detailed information about the committee’s activities, Azerbaijani diaspora networks around the world, ongoing projects and the role of Azerbaijan’s diaspora in the global diaspora movement.
It was noted that increasing the activity of the Azerbaijani community in Ankara, an important political and social center, strengthening cooperation among diaspora organizations and implementing new projects are of particular importance from the perspective of national interests.
A broad exchange of views was held with the participants, and their questions were answered. Members of the Azerbaijani community spoke about the challenges they face and presented proposals and initiatives for new opportunities for cooperation.
During the meeting, the “For Service in Diaspora Activities” medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan was presented to sculptor and artist Seyad Rustamov and Javid Abdullazade, a professor at Ankara University’s Faculty of Law, in recognition of their contributions to Azerbaijan’s diaspora activities.
The meeting in Ankara was marked by efforts to bring the Azerbaijani community closer together around common goals, strengthen cooperation among diaspora organizations and identify new opportunities for Azerbaijanis to represent their country in their host society with distinction.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Diaspora Affairs has been organizing intensive meetings with Azerbaijanis living abroad in recent years. In 2025 alone, the chairman and staff of the committee made nearly 100 visits to 30 countries, while thousands of Azerbaijanis participated in community meetings held in various countries.