On 18 May 2018 the University of Belgrade hosted an event dedicated to the 100^th Anniversary of Azerbaijan People’s Republic at the Centre of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture.

The event was attended by the employees of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia, the Head and members of the Centre of Azerbaijani Culture functioning in the city of Belgrade, the faculty of the University of Belgrade. Opening the event, the Director of the Centre of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture, Associate Professor Lala Majidova reminded that this year the first parliamentary Republic in the Muslim East – Azerbaijan People’s Republic is 100 years old. She also stated that according to the relevant Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, this year has been declared “the Year of Azerbaijan People’s Republic” in our country. She gave information about a range of events carried out in our country and abroad according to another Decree of the Head of our state.

The Dean of the Philology Faculty at the University of Belgrade, Professor Liliyana Markovich expressed her pleasure from the fact that there is the Centre of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture at the University of Belgrade and the Centre of the Serbian Language and Culture will be opened at Azerbaijan University of Languages soon. She expressed her gratitude to the Heads of the Azerbaijani and Serbian states Mr. Ilham Aliyev and Mr. Alexandar Vuchich for their support to establish both the Centres, and hoped that the Centres will give an impetus to the development of educational cooperation between the two countries.

The Director of the Chair of Eastern Studies at the University of Belgrade Anjelka Mitrovich touched upon the teaching of Eastern languages at the institution represented by her and told that in this regard the Serbian public has met the newly-established Centre of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture with interest. She said assuredly that the Centre will enable the students of the University of Belgrade to familiarize themselves with the history, language and rich customs and traditions of our people.

The Director of the Centre for Azerbaijani Culture in Belgrade Zarifa Aliyeva spoke of the activities of the institution headed by her, and informed the participants on the projects implemented by the Centre with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia.

The Professor of the University of Belgrade, the scholar in Eastern Studies Ema Milkovich spoke of the rich traditions of multiculturalism of Azerbaijan situated at the juncture of East and West as a multinational space where historically  various religions merged.

The Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia, Javanshir Majidov spoke of the formation and proclamation of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the events taking place in our country in that period, the declaration of the democratic values by our national state hundred years ago, even prior to many Western countries. He also underlined the fact that it gave equal rights to all its citizens regardless of their race, religion, social status, and to women the suffrage and the right to education. He focused the attention to the fact that the present Azerbaijani state is the successor of Azerbaijan People’s Republic and is loyal to all its democratic traditions and has been maintaining these traditions up today.

The member of the Centre of Azerbaijani Culture in Belgrade Esma Sirbubalo shared her impressions of the concert  held in Belgrade on 10 May 2018 dedicated to the Azerbaijani people’s National Leader Heydar ALiyev’s 95^th Jubilee and the 100^th Anniversary of Azerbaijan People’s Republic with the participation of the Symphonic Orchestra of Belgrade National Theatre and Azerbaijan’s prominent musicians – People’s Artist, the tar performer Ramiz Guliyev, the Honoured artists: the conductor Eyyub Guliyev and the opera singer, soprano Afag Abbasova.

Further the participants of the event watched the documentary titled “The Banner Once Raised Will Never Fall”.