President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the “Lachin City Day” festivities, supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and organized by the Ministry of Culture and Special Representative Office of the President of Azerbaijan in the Lachin district, at the Manzarali terrace and in front of the Flag Square in the city of Lachin.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva viewed the exhibitions organized as part of the “Lachin City Day” festivities, watched performances and talked to the event participants.
President Ilham Aliyev: Hello, kids.
Children: Hello, how are you?
President Ilham Aliyev: Let's have our picture taken.
Reza Deghati: These are their pictures. I took 100 pictures of them.
Teacher: All of them are natives of Lachin. They have all moved and will live here.
President Ilham Aliyev: They have all moved here, very nice.
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The head of state and the First Lady posed for a group photo with the kids.
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President Ilham Aliyev: The school will open on September 15. We saw it yesterday, the school is beautiful, school No. 2. There is a school bus. We will probably deliver another school next year. We will try to build school No. 1. Therefore, children should be ready to go to school on September 15. You have lived in Baku and Sumgayit, right? In other words, you have lived in big cities. But now you have come to a relatively small town. Are you feeling well?
Children: Although it is small, it is very beautiful. We walk a lot.
Child: May Allah protect you because you have regained this paradise.
President Ilham Aliyev: It really is a paradise.
Teacher: Yes, children's joy is enough.
Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva: It is a paradise.
President Ilham Aliyev: The city of Lachin is getting more beautiful with every passing day. The cities in these liberated lands will not be very different from the capital.
Little boy: Mr. President, if you allow me, I will recite the Turkish anthem, two verses of the “Independence March”.
President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, please.
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The child recites two verses from the national anthem of Turkiye.
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Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva: Thank you.
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The head of state and the First Lady viewed the painting exhibition titled “Views of Lachin.”
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President Ilham Aliyev: We came here from Kalbadjar. There are also some scenic spots there.
Artist: We will do a painting of that location too. It is very beautiful indeed.
Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva: Inshallah.
President Ilham Aliyev: You also came here when we had just arrived. You saw what the Armenians had left behind and what state it was in. In just a year, in less than a year. We started restoration work in October. You were here then.
Artist: I know, I have been here three times.
Other artist: “Gasimushaghi” is a traditional carpet of Lachin. Just as “Chelebi” is a symbol of Karabakh, “Gasimushaghi” is a traditional carpet of Lachin. There was a whole generation; there was uncle Zulfi; he passed away.
President Ilham Aliyev: Is there anyone alive from that generation?
Resident: There are people from that generation, Gasimushaghi.
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The head of state and the First Lady posed for a group photo with the artists.
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Artist: We are very pleased that you are celebrating your birthday on the same day as the holiday of Lachin.
Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva: Thank you. It is one of the best birthdays for me.
Resident: Thank you very much. We are grateful to you.
Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva: Thank you very much.
