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Official presentation of European Azerbaijan Society takes place in Britainâ€™s House of Lords

01 December 2008 14:02 (UTC +04:00)

London. Kemale Guliyeva-APA. The official presentation of the European Azerbaijan Society (EAS) was held in Britainâ€™s House of Lords, the Society told APA.
Tale Heydarov, Chairman of the European Azerbaijan Society, said the EAS was originally established as the London Azerbaijan Society in 2004, aiming to promote Azerbaijani culture mainly to British audiences.
According to him, earlier this year the Society took a decision to set up the EAS so as to broaden its activities to reach out wider audiences.
â€œThe Society aims to promote Azerbaijan as a modern, forward facing country with tremendous economic opportunities and a strong cultural heritage, to promote international relations with Azerbaijan to a wide political, media and cultural audience, to bring together Azerbaijanis living in Europe, and to involve them in promoting Azerbaijan and to raise awareness and end the apathy of the West towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,â€ he added.
He also underlined the significance of the Societyâ€™s publications to raise awareness about Azerbaijan in Europe. According to him, a magazine â€œVisions of Azerbaijanâ€ is published in English every three months and distributed to libraries, scientific research centers around the world, a book called â€œAzerbaijan: 100 Questions Answered" was published in English and Russian, and a new collection of articles by foreign authors about the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict will soon be published in the UK.
He also noted that the Society distributes monthly business and membership bulletins among political and business groups.
Speaking about the undertaken projects, he underlined a documentary My Surreal Duty by British director Nick Tiron.
â€œThe EAS-initiated documentary with music by American Jeffrey Werbock deals with the lives of Azerbaijanis displaced from Karabakh by Armenian aggression. The firm is scheduled for completion in January,â€ he said.

Addressing the event chairman of British-Azerbaijani Society Lord Fraser underlined that establishment of the European Azerbaijan Society in London was a significant event for the countryâ€™s recognition in the world. Lord Fraser appreciated the societyâ€™s activity in informing the Europe of the truths about Nagorno Karabakh conflict and said there was a great need for it. Noting Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity as the most important principle, Lord Fraser underlined the significance of Diasporaâ€™s activity in finding fair solution to the problem. Lord Fraser said he was always ready to support and patronize the societyâ€™s work.

Azerbaijanâ€™s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom Fakhraddin Gurbanov noted that it was the second Azerbaijan-related event held in the House of Lords in November. Fakhraddin Gurbanov said the embassy would support the activity of the European Azerbaijan Society in the United Kingdom and added that the embassy had already held a joint event with the society.

He said that Azerbaijani violinist Sabina Rakchiyeva studying at the University of London for PhD played works by outstanding Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev at the concert on the composerâ€™s 90th anniversary. The ambassador said the documentary film â€œMy Surreal Dutyâ€ about Azerbaijani refugees and mugham was one of the most significant projects of European Azerbaijan Society. The film showed the hard life of the Azerbaijanis displaced from Karabakh due to Armenian aggression and their great musical heritage as the unity.

At the end of the event director of the documentary film Nick Tiron demonstrated a piece of his work. The participants were given brochures published by European Azerbaijan Society in London â€œBusiness bulletinâ€, â€œAzerbaijanâ€™s role in the Caucasus and international policyâ€ and â€œNagorno Karabakhâ€ and book â€œAzerbaijan: 100 Questions Answeredâ€.

The event was attended by UK MPs, public and political figures, businesspeople representatives from London-based diplomatic corps, international organizations and Azeri community.