First of all, let me say that the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" celebrated in our country is ending with great success. I am far from the idea of listing the successes of our people and our state this year. However, I am happy to say that this year we achieved the greatest success of the thirty-two years since our country regained its state independence. It is true that we had many successes in previous years. But I unequivocally agree with those who call the raising of the tricolor national flag in all of our territories freed from occupation and holding a military parade in Khankendi our biggest victory in the last few centuries.
As for the implementation of President Ilham Aliyev's order dated September 29, 2022, on the declaration of 2023 as the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" in our country, I can say on the example of the university where I work that not only some state institution, educational institution, We don't even have a faculty left. In other words, this significant year was celebrated in the country. Rather, the events on this occasion are still ongoing.
It is also necessary to emphasize that the fact of restoration of our sovereignty in all territories of our country fell on the calendar year when the 100th anniversary of the great leader and the 20th anniversary of Mr. Ilham Aliyev's election as the head of state were celebrated. In my opinion, this is not a coincidence, but an affirmation of Divine justice. Because Heydar Aliyev made our state independence eternal, brought us back from the brink of civil war, and President Ilham Aliyev turned Azerbaijan into one of the leading countries in the world and signed great victories of our people. That is, it is a perfect example of justice that the above-mentioned unparalleled victory fell in this way.
It is also important to note that both Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev have repeatedly emphasized that the greatest service of the youth is in achieving any victory. Rather, in response to their calls, the youth of the country organized in a more organized manner, united and coped with the tasks set with honor.
Those who spoke or wrote about it repeatedly mentioned that after the return of the great leader to political power in the country, he first met with representatives of the scientific community, and then with representatives of youth organizations, held a Youth forum, created the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the purpose of centralizing this policy, as well as the subsequent measures. Therefore, I want to mention another point.
Thus, the great leader Heydar Aliyev sent another appeal to the country's youth just two weeks after his historic appeal to the people, asking the voters who decided to vote for him in the next presidential elections on October 1, 2003 to vote for Ilham Aliyev. Let's clarify our idea a little more.
Sending a letter to the third forum of the youth of the Republic of Azerbaijan (October 13, 2003), the great leader wrote: "Today, the Republic of Azerbaijan is living a glorious and complex period of its history... The main weight and responsibility of the implementation of these great works to be done for the development of independent Azerbaijan in the 21st century and it falls on today's youth. I believe that our people with rich and deep spirituality and patriotic youth have a bigger and brighter future. That's why you, high-functioning Azerbaijani youth, should always be ready to keep Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani statehood alive, and make it powerful." That is, the great statesman mobilized the country's youth for great deeds.
We saw the results of that mobilization more clearly in President Ilham Aliyev's address to the country's population on May 10, 2023 from Shusha. Our head of state noted that Heydar Aliyev has unparalleled services as the President of independent Azerbaijan. Today, Azerbaijan is successfully following the path set by him. Here, his activity was not limited only to economic reforms. He had a great role in the protection of national and moral values, he had a great role in the upbringing of the young generation in the spirit of patriotism. It was on his initiative that the first Youth Forum was held in Azerbaijan in 1996. Since then, Youth forums have been held regularly. It was the youth who liberated Karabakh and Zangezur, the youth of the past and the youth who have matured in the last 20 years.
Another fact. On June 17, 2002, the great leader Heydar Aliyev said in his speech at the meeting with the cadets of Jamshid Nakhchivansky Military High School in Nakhchivan branch: "Dear children, dear children! 30 years ago and every year after that, when I went to the military school named after Nakhchivansky, I saw 14, 15, 16-year-old youths marching in line with the military march. I always had great impressions when I returned from there. Even today, seeing you and looking at you, I have these feelings. Looking at you, I see the beautiful future of Azerbaijan. The future of Azerbaijan belongs to the youth. We trust the future of Azerbaijan to the youth."
I am pleased that as a young man I was able to contribute as much as I could to the implementation of the tasks set before us by both the Great Leader and Mr. President. So, since I studied at the "Financial Credit" faculty of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics, I was closely involved in the social life of the university and our country, due to my activity in the presidential elections in 2013, the Milli Majlis in 2015 and again in 2018. I was awarded with honorary decrees on behalf of YAP Sabail district organization. I have been a member of the New Azerbaijan Party since 2013. In 2021, I was awarded the "Decree of Honor" for the success of the I Yukselis competition organized by the order of President Ilham Aliyev. In 2022, I was elected as the chairman of the Trade Union Committee of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics.
The great leader also advised us young people to get involved in sports. I am proud of the certain contributions I made to the field of sports in response to that call. I was elected a member of the board of directors of the Federation of Universal Martial Arts of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since 2022, I am the head of the "Center for Coordination with Higher Education Institutions" of the "Davam" Youth Movement and, at the same time, the adviser to the chairman. Since 2023, I have been a member of the Board of Directors of Genc MÜSIAD (Association of Independent and Industrialist Businessmen). Also, I participated in more than 50 international events and conferences, and managed to implement many social projects at the university.
In other words, I have managed to fulfill some of the tasks set by the great leader of our nation in front of the country's youth in my own life. In my opinion, all these can be considered as the contributions of a young man to the "Year of Heydar Aliyev".
Rufat SULEYMANLI,
Chairman of the Trade Union Committee of Azerbaijan State University of Economics
