An official reception was held in Saint Petersburg to mark Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, organized by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in the city.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia, Rahman Mustafayev; Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues, Mukhtar Babayev; Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Rauf Hajiyev; First Deputy Director General of TASS News Agency, Mikhail Gusman; Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg, Nizami Mamishov; Head of the Representative Office of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg, Maksim Poletaev; Secretary General of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council, Dmitry Kobitsky; as well as representatives of the city government and Legislative Assembly, heads of diplomatic missions, members of the diaspora, cultural and artistic figures, political analysts, students, and media representatives.

During the official segment, Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev and Acting Consul General Anar Yusifzade delivered speeches highlighting the legacy of statehood established by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic 107 years ago, the international standing of modern Azerbaijan, its path toward sustainable development, and its contributions to regional peace and stability.

The speeches also emphasized the strong political, economic, scientific, educational, and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Russia. It was noted that under the 2024–2028 “Road Map,” cooperation between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of St. Petersburg will continue to deepen.

In their remarks, Nizami Mamishov and Maksim Poletaev underlined the importance of close cooperation with Azerbaijan across all sectors, stressing the strength of bilateral relations built on friendship and strategic partnership.

As part of the event, a concert program titled “Azerbaijani Mugham” was presented, co-organized by the National Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO and the Consulate General in St. Petersburg. Artists from the International Mugham Center — Gunay Imamverdiyeva, Altay Niftaliyev, and Araz Aghaverdiyev — performed Azerbaijani folk and composed songs under the direction of Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, Teyyar Bayramov. Their performances were warmly received with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The event also featured an exhibition of traditional Azerbaijani musical instruments, national costumes, and carpets, as well as a book display on Azerbaijani music and carpet weaving art. Guests were treated to samples of Azerbaijani national cuisine.

Farida Abdullayeva

Special correspondent