LONDON/Raza Syed,Sevi Nabiyeva/ -The Azerbaijani Embassy in London hosted its annual Independence Day and the Armed Forces Day event, drawing a crowd of more than 600 distinguished guests at Lancaster House. The event, a staple on the embassy’s calendar, attracted key figures from government, business, media, and cultural sectors.
This year’s celebration has solidified its reputation as a highlight of the summer social scene for many of the embassy’s high-level contacts. The gathering underscores the strong connections and significant relationships fostered by the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in the UK.The evening began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and United Kingdom, followed by a speech from Ambassador Elin Suleymanov.
A special night … and a special host!
One of the event’s key highlights was the address from the ٓAzerbahijan Ambassador, Elin Suleymanov, to the UK.
In his speech,Ambassador Elin Suleymanov expressed his gratitude to the attendees for joining the celebration of the 106th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR). He highlighted the establishment of the ADR on May 28, 1918, as the first democratic republic in the Muslim East.
Ambassador Suleymanov addressed the audience, emphasizing the robust and reliable partnership between Azerbaijan and Britain. He highlighted the successful implementation of joint projects in both traditional and renewable energy sectors, noting the pivotal role played by BP in these initiatives.
During his speech, the ambassador outlined the achievements of the ADR during its 23-month existence, including the formation of the first Parliament and Government, the determination of borders, and the adoption of national symbols such as the flag, anthem, and coat of arms. He emphasized the pivotal role of the ADR in laying the foundation for future independence by strengthening the sentiments of freedom and independence.
Ambassador Elin Suleymanov noted that the independent Republic of Azerbaijan, the legal successor of the ADR, restored its independence in 1991. He credited the preservation of sovereignty to the leadership of Heydar Aliyev and the continued policies under President Ilham Aliyev.
The ambassador also spoke about the 2020 Patriotic War, during which Azerbaijan, under Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, liberated its internationally recognized territories from nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation, implementing the four 1993 UN Security Council resolutions.
Highlighting Azerbaijan’s international achievements, Elin Suleymanov mentioned the country’s successful chairmanship of significant organizations such as the UN Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of Turkic States. He announced that the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, themed “Dialogue for Peace and Global Security: Cooperation and Interconnectivity,” was held at the Baku Convention Center from May 1-3, 2024. Furthermore, Azerbaijan will host COP29 in December 2023, showcasing its leadership in addressing climate change.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan has joined the fight against global climate change by being a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Our country aims to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses by 35 percent by 2030 compared with 1990. After 2030, a more ambitious target has been set, which consists of reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses by 40 percent by 2050.
Ambassador Christopher Allan, Head of the Department of Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, honored Azerbaijan’s Independence Day by participating in the celebrations. During the event, Ambassador Allan highlighted the strong partnership between Azerbaijan and Britain in combating global threats.
Emphasizing the close trade relations between the two countries, Ambassador Allan underscored the rich agenda of bilateral relations, which has seen mutual high-level visits and strategic dialogues. He mentioned the support of the British government for Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks and welcomed the recent progress in border arrangements.
Ambassador Allan also commended Azerbaijan’s preparations for COP29 and expressed Britain’s readiness to share its expertise in this field.
A large number of diplomats from various countries including Uzbekistan(His Excellency Mr Ravshan Usmanov), Kazakhstan(His Excellency Mr Magzhan Ilyassov), Kyrgyzstan(His Excellency Ulan Djusupov),Managing Editor “London Post” Raza Syed, ECG Chairman Marat Mark Akhmedjanov and Embassy of Belarus (Mr Andrei Miskevich Counsellor) attended the reception in London.
Food-to-go – Azerbahijan-style!
Guests were offered a feast of delicious dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine.The evening also featured live entertainment, refreshments and an impressive range of Azerbaijan’s hot food-to-go, including Fish,Dushbara,Kebabs and pickles,Djiz-biz and many more.The participants of the event highly appreciated the Azerbaijani cuisine.
