BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. An international
academic and awareness conference titled “Khojaly: Truth, Memory
and Future Generations” has been held at the Urbana-Champaign
campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United
States, the State Committee for Diaspora Affairs told Trend.


The event was organized by the Azerbaijani Students Association
of the University of Illinois with the support of the Azerbaijan
Center of Midwest America (ACMA) and the Committee.


The conference began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and
the United States, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the
martyrs. Riyad Babayev, a representative of the Azerbaijani
Students Association at the University of Illinois, welcomed the
guests with an opening address.


Co-founder of ACMA, Mehriban Mammadova, then delivered remarks,
noting that the organization holds educational events of this
nature annually. She recalled that a similar conference had been
organized last year at Harper College in Chicago.


Farid Mammadov, founder of ACMA and one of the organizers of the
event, emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the
Khojaly tragedy, promoting historical truths, and raising awareness
to counter disinformation.


The conference continued with panel discussions moderated by
Riyad Babayev.


During the discussions, Vusala Mehdiyeva, adviser at the Embassy
of Azerbaijan to the United States, underscored the importance of
safeguarding humanitarian values, protecting civilians, and
informing younger generations about such tragedies.







Student presenter Nazrin Mammadova delivered a presentation on
the historical aspects of the Khojaly tragedy and the
responsibility of future generations to preserve historical memory.
As part of her presentation, a video message from a Khojaly witness
was screened.


International security expert Ali Mammadov gave an extensive
presentation on the regional situation in the early 1990s, the
geopolitical background of the conflict, and the impact of armed
conflicts on civilians.


Legal expert Samaya Habibova presented a legal perspective on
the norms of international humanitarian law, accountability for war
crimes, and the principles of civilian protection. She highlighted
the role of documentation and academic research in raising global
awareness of such events.


During the event, the book “Tovuz to Karabakh” by Pakistani
journalist and geopolitical analyst Malik Ayyub Sumbal, which
addresses Armenia’s occupation policy, was presented as a gift to
foreign experts and professors. A special corner reflecting
Azerbaijan’s national values was also set up.


ACMA operates to promote Azerbaijan’s history and culture, while
also fostering intercommunity dialogue across the Midwestern United
States.


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