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Friendship Park reconstructed and monument to Khojaly genocide victims built on initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Sarajevo inaugurated

25 February 2012 16:40 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The Friendship Park reconstructed and the monument to Khojaly genocide victims built on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation were inaugurated in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva also participated in the opening ceremony, APA reports.

Prior to it, Leyla Aliyeva met with member of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izegbetovich and his daughter Yasmina Izegbetovich. Gratitude was expressed for the inauguration of the Friendship Park in Sarajevo, it was underlined that the event will serve the enhancement of the relations between the two countries. Future cooperation was discussed at the meeting, the importance of the humanitarian projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was underlined at the meeting. Following this, the Friendship Park was inaugurated with the participation of the officials, public and culture figures of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, initiator of the â€œJustice for Khojalyâ€ campaign Leyla Aliyeva participated in the unveiling ceremony of the monument to the victims of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992-1995 and the victims of the genocide committed in Azerbaijanâ€™s Khojaly town in February, 1992. The monument built by sculptor Natig Aliyev describes two mournful mothers - an old and a young woman. The project implemented within the framework of the â€œJustice for Khojalyâ€ campaign, on the initiative of the Heydar Alyev Foundation, with the financial support of Azerbaijan, with the support of Novi Grad municipality of Sarajevo and Azerbaijani diplomatic office in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important event serving to disseminate the truths about Khojaly genocide.

Member of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izegbetovich spoke about the historical relations between our peoples. He noted that there are streets in both countries named after the capitals, and added that Leyla Aliyevaâ€™s initiative will strengthen the friendship relations.
â€œThis monument is the symbol of hard times of Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina,â€ Izegbetovich said and highly appreciated the activities carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on behalf of his people.

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva expressed her gratitude to the leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the people sharing the grief of the Azerbaijanis. Leyla Aliyeva mentioned that 20 years ago Armenians committed genocide in Khojaly killing 613 civilians.
â€œThe pains of Khojaly tragedy are still felt. Unfortunately, it has had bad consequences for other parts of the world, too. Azerbaijan is situated between Europe and Asia and this crime against humanity was committed late in the 20th century just on the threshold of Europe. 613 civilians of Khojaly were killed as a result of this terrible massacre,â€ she said.

â€œThe target of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is to disseminate the truths about Khojaly within the framework of â€œJustice for Khojalyâ€ campaign,â€ said Leyla Aliyeva and added that the campaign is held in 50 countries, as a result of it Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation recognized the atrocities committed in Khojaly as genocide. The parliaments of Mexico and Pakistan recognized the Khojaly tragedy as genocide.

Leyla Aliyeva said within the framework of the campaign books, booklets, discs on Khojaly genocide were prepared, various events were held in all parts of the world.
â€œNothing can cure the wounds of Khojaly genocide. We can only commemorate this terrible date and the children, women and men killed or disabled as a result of this massacre,â€ she said.