The fifth gathering of Azerbaijani students and alumni in Sweden, organized by the “Sweden Students and Alumni Network Azerbaijan” (SSANA) Public Union, was held in Uppsala.
The event brought together Azerbaijani students and graduates from across Sweden to expand connections, foster socialization, and engage in academic discussions.
The program began with a historical tour of Uppsala, including Scandinavia’s oldest university, Sweden’s tallest cathedral, and the city’s 1,600-year history.
SSANA Board Chair Gulgun Farziyeva, along with board members Narmin Abbasova and Maftun Gafarov, shared information about the organization’s history, projects, and membership benefits. Co-founder Rahil Mammadov highlighted the organization’s contributions in line with Azerbaijan’s youth policy and encouraged active participation from young people.
“The voluntary coming together of educated and talented youth to contribute to society shows that they will become determined and hardworking professionals in their future careers,” Mammadov noted.
Founded in 2020 and restructured in 2021 with new directions, SSANA aims to strengthen member unity, enhance academic literacy, and pursue ambitious goals through 2030.
Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Sweden Zaur Ahmadov congratulated SSANA on its fifth annual meeting and highlighted state-supported opportunities for youth to study abroad.
He recalled that thousands of young Azerbaijanis were sent to leading universities during National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s first leadership period, emphasizing that SSANA plays a key role in connecting Azerbaijani students in Sweden with their homeland.
The academic segment focused on “Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability in the Caspian Sea Region Through the Lens of Swedish Nature Preservation Experience.” Hamidakhanim Huseynova, a master’s student in Environmental Studies at Lund University, addressed the ecological crisis in the Caspian Sea and its regional impact, referencing points made by President Ilham Aliyev at the 80th UN General Assembly session.
The event also featured the screening of the documentary “History of Folk Jazz from West to East” by Swedish director Mikael Silkeberg and a quiz on Azerbaijani and Swedish history and culture, with winners receiving awards from the organization.
SSANA is a non-political, non-commercial organization operating in Azerbaijan and Sweden, dedicated to uniting Azerbaijani students, expanding their connections, and organizing projects in education, science, business, technology, sustainable development, and culture.