The Khojaly Genocide, which took place on February 26, 1992, was commemorated with a program titled “The Last Example of Armenian Atrocities Against Turks in the 20th Century: The Khojaly Genocide,” held at our University’s Rectorate, in the Mimar Kemaleddin Hall. The program was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ankara, Reşad Memmedov, Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Prof. Sami Güçlü, our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal, Vice Rector Prof. Hasan Tezer, Secretary General Mustafa Afşar, Rector’s Advisors Prof. Selami Candan, Prof. Serdar Polat, Dr. Ahmet Bilal Dostbil, and Dr. Meryem Böcek, Deputy Secretaries General Assist. Prof. Sena Aydoğan and Ayhan Selçuk, as well as deans, directors, faculty members, academic and administrative staff, and students.

The program commenced with a moment of silence and the recitation of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan and the Turkish National Anthem, followed by opening speeches. In his speech, the Director of our university’s Turkish World Application and Research Center (TÜRKDAM), Prof. Bülent Aksoy, described February 16, 1992, as a disgrace to humanity, stating, “The occupation of Khojaly in 1992 and the ensuing massacre, followed by the occupation of Karabakh, made us emerge from this bloodshed, sorrow, and tragedy even stronger.” Emphasizing that this was not just an attack on Azerbaijan but on the entire Turkic world, Prof. Aksoy stated that they would not abandon this cause until those responsible were held accountable before history.

Following Prof. Bülent Aksoy, Former Mayor of Keçiören Municipality, Turgut Altınok, delivered a speech. Altınok expressed, “We commemorate the 613 martyrs of Khojaly with mercy. For years, we declared that we would raise the flag of Azerbaijan in Karabakh. Thank God, today that flag flies in Karabakh,” underlining the significance of state support in the region. He concluded his speech with the words, “Long live dear Azerbaijan, long live Turkey, long live the Turkic world.”

The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ankara, Reşad Memmedov, began his speech by saying, “February 26 is a very painful day for us. I extend my gratitude to Gazi University for sharing our sorrow.” He pointed out that systematic hostility against the Turkic world has persisted since World War I and that the Khojaly Massacre was part of this aggression. Emphasizing peace in his speech, Memmedov stated, “Despite everything, we will choose peace, but we will never allow another genocide to occur.”

Following Ambassador Reşad Memmedov’s speech, our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal expressed his gratitude to the TÜRKDAM administration and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Ankara for facilitating the program. Prof. Ünal touched on the historical background of Armenian attacks against Azerbaijani Turks, highlighting that the Khojaly Massacre was one of the greatest tragedies endured by the Azerbaijani people. He stated, “On February 26, 1992, Armenian forces brutally massacred 613 Azerbaijani Turks, including children, women, and the elderly. For more than thirty years, we longed for our homeland. However, with the victory in Karabakh in 2020, this longing came to an end.”

Emphasizing the strength of Turkic unity, our Rector Prof. Ünal declared, “Shusha is ours, Karabakh is ours, Karabakh is Azerbaijan, and it will remain so forever.” He reiterated that the pursuit of justice continues and stressed that the perpetrators of the Khojaly Massacre must be held accountable. Calling on young people to read history correctly, he quoted the late Alija Izetbegović’s words about Srebrenica: “Do not forget the genocide, because a forgotten genocide is repeated.” Prof. Ünal concluded his speech by affirming that the fight for justice in Khojaly will continue until justice is served.

Following the opening speeches, the program continued with a panel discussion. The panel, moderated by Prof. Alev Çakmakoğlu Kuru, featured Prof. Mehmet Şahingöz and Prof. Toğrul İsmayıl as speakers. The event concluded with our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal and the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ankara, Reşad Memmedov, presenting plaques to the panelists and a commemorative photo session. At the end of the program, the “Khojaly Genocide Art Exhibition” was held in the Rectorate foyer area.