BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 21. On April 21, 2026,
a commemorative event titled “A Life True to Oneself: 15 Years
Without Anar” was held at the Baku Book Center to honor the memory
of prominent Azerbaijani public and cultural figure Anar
Mammadkhanov, Trend reports.


The event marked the 15th anniversary of his passing and aimed
to reflect on his life, creative legacy, and contributions to youth
development, humor, and public life in Azerbaijan, while passing
this heritage on to future generations.


Public figures, media representatives, well-known personalities
from culture and the arts, as well as those who knew Mammadkhanov
personally, attended the gathering.


Opening the event, Murad Dadashov shared his memories of
Mammadkhanov, speaking about their friendship, joint activities,
and shared views on art.


“Today is one of the most important dates for all of us. It has
been fifteen years since a deeply shocking event. We ourselves did
not understand how quickly these 15 years passed. With the loss of
Anar Mammadkhanov, it feels as if a valuable gift was taken from
his team, his family, and his children.


Anar treated our values very seriously. He was always engaged in
reading. At the same time, he was a cheerful person. He was from
Karabakh, and the return of Karabakh was his greatest dream. He
said that the greatest tragedy of his life was Khojaly. Today,
Anar’s soul is at peace; he sees us from above. I hope that his
children and grandchildren will leave a mark in Azerbaijan’s
history just as Anar did,” he said.


Mammadkhanov’s wife, Irada Mammadkhanova, also addressed the
audience, sharing reflections on his life and family values.


“Everyone present here today is dear to us. These same people
have always been close to us over the years,” she said.


Author Elmira Akhundova spoke about her book “The Fate of the
Captain,” dedicated to Mammadkhanov’s life, noting that it has been
translated into Azerbaijani.







Among the speakers was Mammadkhanov’s son, Islam Mammadkhanov,
who said that his father is now a grandfather and noted that this
holds special meaning for the family. He also emphasized his
father’s devotion to the country and the importance of always
upholding Azerbaijan’s flag.


“It has been 15 years since my father’s passing. Many
significant events have taken place during this time. He has three
grandchildren. His dream of Karabakh has come true. Karabakh is now
free and being revived. I believe his soul is now free. My mother
has always preserved my father’s name with dignity. Being Anar
Mammadkhanov’s son is a great honor for me,” he said.


MP Asim Mollazade and Chair of the State Examination Center
Maleyka Abbaszade also spoke, highlighting Mammadkhanov’s rich
legacy and contributions to society. Abbaszade noted that
Mammadkhanov was a well-known KVN figure and politician.


“My daughters used to take part in KVN events at school. I knew
well those who interacted with my children. Jabir Imanov was in the
same class as my daughters. For my children, Anar was an idol. His
death deeply shook our family. Anar was capable of achieving
anything. His loss was the first tragedy for us, and then we lost
Jabir as well. Young people should not die, but such things happen
in life. Those who saw Anar in real life are now already 50 years
old. In this sense, the existence of a book about Anar is very
important,” she said.


The translator of the book, Rabiga Nazimgizi, also spoke about
Mammadkhanov’s determination and strong personality.


As part of the event, a film dedicated to Anar Mammadkhanov was
screened.


Concluding the event, representatives of the arts shared their
memories of Mammadkhanov, once again emphasizing his irreplaceable
role in Azerbaijan’s cultural life.


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