The Embassy of Azerbaijan in France organized a solemn event in Paris to commemorate Azerbaijan’s Victory Day.
Ambassador Leyla Abdullayeva emphasized the significance of Victory Day, noting that November marks the celebration of the liberation of Karabakh from 30 years of occupation. She expressed that with the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the entire nation feels a profound sense of justice and pride.
“Having endured military occupation by a neighboring country and faced two bloody wars, Azerbaijan understands the value of peace. Peace is an absolute necessity not only for our region but for the entire world. Azerbaijan’s mission is to achieve lasting and just peace. To accomplish this, it is crucial to remove remaining obstacles, including the territorial claims against Azerbaijan that are still enshrined in Armenia’s constitution,” Abdullayeva stated.
She highlighted that the concert dedicated to Victory Day would feature Azerbaijani jazz and mugham, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in the rich depths of Azerbaijani culture. “In multicultural Azerbaijan, 50 different ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony. This diversity greatly enriches our cultural heritage, which is also reflected in our music.”
Abdullayeva noted that Azerbaijan was the birthplace of the first opera in the Muslim world in the early 20th century and recognized Baku as the capital of jazz in the former Soviet space and even today.
The concert featured young pianist Etibar Asadov and his trio, alongside singer Ilkin Dovlatov, who represented Azerbaijan in the Eurovision 2024 song contest, performing a majestic piece of jazz-mugham fusion music. The program included Azerbaijani folk songs and compositions by renowned composers such as Said Rustamov, Talat Eyyubov, and Uzeyir Hajibayli.
The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps accredited in France, French politicians, cultural and artistic figures, local community representatives, and journalists.