According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the declaration of 2023 as the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" in the Republic of Azerbaijan, mass events, programs and sports competitions are planned to be held in our country. For this purpose, a series of events was started at Sumgayit State University within the framework of " Year of Heydar Aliyev ".

On January 25, a scientific-practical conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Great Leader was held at the Heydar Aliyev school operating under the Heydar Aliyev Center of Sumgayit State University on the topic "Our greatest respect for the memory of Heydar Aliyev is our loyalty to his path."

Zakir Farajov - the head of the Executive Power of Sumgayit City and professors, lecturers of the university took part in the conference.

First, the participants of the event laid flowers to the bust of the great leader Heydar Aliyev erected in the lobby of the university and paid tribute to his memory.

The rector of the university professor Elkhan Huseynov opened the conference with his introductory speech greeted the head of the City Executive Power Zakir Farajov and the participants, noted that the celebration of 2023 as the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" is one of the most important events carried out to perpetuate the dear memory of the National Leader. Professor Elkhan Huseynov stated that currently the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijanis and Turkic-speaking peoples of the world are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan, the most powerful figure of our national history in the 20th century. The rich heritage of statehood and philosophy of life which the national leader Heydar Aliyev passed us will be in the spotlight for a long time. Because all stages of Heydar Aliyev"s rich life and exceptional activity complemented each other, he was a living embodiment of close attachment to his people and loyalty to the ideology of national statehood. The rector also stated that the services of the national leader Heydar Aliyev to the people and the state of Azerbaijan are so great that his memory is always remembered, traces of Heydar Aliyev is seen in every side of Azerbaijan, the policy defined by the Great Leader is reflected in the development of every field. The large-scale works carried out by the great leader Heydar Aliyev in the direction of the independence of our country during the years when he led the Republic of Azerbaijan are felt as a result of the far-sighted policy of the president Ilham Aliyev.Thanks to Ilham Aliyev the Republic of Azerbaijan is a winning state that has the opportunity to act at the world level as the leader of the region. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, is recognized as a powerful leader with a great reputation in the international world, who not only wrote the truths of the Victory Day in the centuries-old history of our nation, but also managed to move our country forward in all fields. Currently, our country is entering completely a new era due to the Great Return to the ancient territories of Azerbaijan, freed from occupation.

The head of the City Executive Power   Zakir Farajov made a speech and greeted rector professor Elkhan Huseynov and the team, talking about the importance of the conference and stated that according to the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev, the declaration of 2023 as the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" in the republic is an expression of national respect for the Great Leader. As mentioned in the order, the legacy of the Great Leader of independent Azerbaijan to the present and future generations, and his rich and diverse heritage is the national wealth of our people. Preserving this sacred heritage is the honorable duty of every Azerbaijani. In general, the declaration of 2023 as the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" is a major socio-political event in the life of our republic. Because the name of independent Azerbaijan is mentioned alongside the name of Heydar Aliyev. In accordance with that Decree, an Action Plan is prepared and a series of events are organized in all enterprises and organizations of our city related to political activity, sacrifices and historical services of Heydar Aliyev to the Azerbaijani people.

Zakir Farajov also noted that the great leader Heydar Aliyev rendered unique historical services to the independent state and people of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev was truly a personality whose greatness was acknowledged and accepted on a world scale. In the 90s of the 20th century, when Azerbaijan entered the international arena as an independent state, our country was known and accepted because of Heydar Aliyev. Many envied us that we have a leader like Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan has been able to rise to the level it deserves on a world scale thanks to the Great Leader"s foresight, wisdom, determination, iron will, and rich statecraft experience. The name of Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of modern Azerbaijan, will be as eternal as Azerbaijan itself. Heydar Aliyev"s honorable service to the people and statehood of Azerbaijan throughout his life is also confirmed by the fact that this genius in his address to the people in connection with the Presidential elections in Azerbaijan in 2003 clearly indicated the address that could successfully continue the great political course he had formed for many years. Time has proven that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, whom the Great leader trusts in the fate of the people and the state, in whom he believes as much as himself. The Republic of Azerbaijan develops day by day in accordance with the ideas of Heydar Aliyev, strengthens its reputation in the international world, and "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!" fulfilling the greatest will of his father with his exclamation .Supreme Commander-in-Chief demonstrated to the world his greatness by pinning the Azerbaijan Flag on the Shusha Castle and the bridge of Khudafarin.

Mr. Zakir Farajov also emphasized that the end of the Second Karabakh war with victory was also a solemnity of the judgment of the time. Our National Army led by the victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, who successfully ended the 44-day long Patriotic War, liberated our lands occupied for 30 years by Armenia. Currently, the restoration and construction works carried out in our territories destroyed by Armenian vandals are continuing. The fact that people are settling in their native lands in Agalı shows that the time of the Great Return is approaching. Today, there is no need to prove that Zangezur is the historical land of Azerbaijan. The documents maintained in the archives of different countries are already mentioned the truth. Alarmed by the return of the original owners of these lands, Armenians are trying to prevent this migration by all means. All this is the clarification of the historical facts told by the great leader Heydar Aliyev, who repeatedly revealed the truth about Zangezur. The 19th and 20th centuries a very important period for Azerbaijan Great Leader always noted but at the same time full of tense events and on the policy of armenianization of Azerbaijani lands and importance of passing the truth to the future generations. Ilham Aliyev proves once again that the Zangezur corridor will be opened whether Armenia wants it or not. Our historical lands will be freed from occupation. We will return to Zangezur, Goyce and Yerevan in the near future.

The following participants made a speech in the topics: dean of the faculty of History and geography of SSU, Honored teacher professor Adil Bakhshaliyev "Inimitable leader and personality - Heydar Aliyev", dean of the faculty of Philology associate professor Sevinj Hamzayeva "Historical contribution of the great leader"s love for culture", Tamara Guluzade, first-year graduate student of the faculty of History and geography "The worthy follower of the youth policy of the Great Leader - Ilham Aliyev". They talked about the rich activity of Heydar Aliyev as a politician and statesman, who gave his whole meaningful life to his people. They said that the rescue and construction mission started by national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1993 is successfully carried out today by his worthy successor, the President of the country Ilham Aliyev. How many more generations of the Azerbaijani people will benefit from this great school and the rich political heritage of Heydar Aliyev for the sake of the development of our country and the well-being of our people. Each of us has to be devoted to Heydar Aliyev"s statesmanship, should keep alive and develop the great ideas of the Great Leader, and unite closely around our president Ilham Aliyev and properly fulfill our duties for the comprehensive progress of our country in accordance with the high trust of the head of state.