Aygun Aliyeva: NGOs are more active than ever on issue of return to Western Azerbaijan

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are currently more active than ever on the issue of the "Return to Western Azerbaijan," Aygun Aliyeva, Executive Director of the Agency for State Support to NGOs, said during a briefing on projects being implemented within the framework of the "Return to Western Azerbaijan" initiative.

Report quotes her as saying this topic has been one of the agency's grant competition priorities for the past three years:

"Over this period, 50 NGOs have implemented 54 initiatives aligned with the provisions of the 'Concept for Ensuring the Peaceful, Safe, and Dignified Return of Azerbaijanis Expelled from the Territory of Present-Day Armenia – the Return Concept.' During the indicated period, Azerbaijani NGOs have raised this issue on international platforms — at various UN and OSCE meetings, in foreign countries, organized public discussions, and held side events. Overall, these activities covered countries such as the US, Belgium, Spain, Romania, Poland, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan."

Aliyeva noted that the agency's 2025 grant competition has already supported an additional 51 NGO projects under the theme “Return to Western Azerbaijan: Material and Cultural Heritage and Rights.”

“Throughout the year, dozens of conferences, exhibitions, and various events on this topic will be held within international organizations, across Europe, and in regions of the Turkic world,” she added.