Aghdam, July 3, AZERTAC

On July 3, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Sadyr Zhaparov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, participated in the inauguration ceremony of the first phase of the village of Khidirli in the Aghdam district.

Khidirli village is located 3 kilometers northwest of Aghdam district center. In October 2022, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the village. The planned area of the village spans over 417 hectares, with provisions for resettling approximately 6,000 people and constructing 1,498 individual houses across the first and second phases.

For the first phase, the designated area covers 170.44 hectares, with plans to resettle 719 families, totaling 2,951 individuals. In this phase, 719 individual houses have been built, including 263 two-room, 332 three-room, 121 four-room, and 3 five-room homes.

In addition, essential modern social infrastructure has been established in the village, including administrative and service buildings. These include a multifunctional administrative building, a club-community center, a medical point, an emergency medical aid unit, a guesthouse for temporary accommodation of education and healthcare workers, a household service facility, a workshop, a secondary school, and a kindergarten-nursery. Approximately 20% of the village’s territory is dedicated to green spaces.

Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Sadyr Zhaparov inspected the facilities at the Khidirli village kindergarten. Designed for 120 children, the kindergarten includes group rooms, a music room, and sports halls to ensure a comfortable and nurturing environment for children’s education and care. Green areas, sports and playgrounds, and recreational spaces have been created around the facility, with solar panels installed on the building’s roof.

The presidents also visited the club-community center in Khidirli village, where they reviewed the facilities. The center features a 190-seat assembly hall, a canteen, dance practice rooms, club rooms, and other administrative spaces, providing comprehensive facilities for various social, cultural, and ceremonial events.

The heads of state also officially opened the Aykol Manas Secondary School in Khidirli village.

They first inspected a yurt set up in the school’s courtyard, a portable dwelling designed for nomadic lifestyles, which is now promoted by many Turkic peoples in Central Asia for tourism purposes.

They then reviewed the facilities within the school.

The foundation of the 528-student secondary school was laid in April 2024 by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Sadyr Zhaparov. The school building consists of five blocks, including a sports hall block, and spans 2.7 hectares. It includes 21 classrooms, 2 pre-school preparation rooms, 2 computer labs, 2 technology rooms, 1 military training room, 3 laboratories, a library, sports and assembly halls, a cafeteria, and other facilities. The school’s infrastructure provides comprehensive conditions for students to acquire knowledge at a high level. The school grounds feature a large sports field with a running track, playgrounds, and recreational areas for both students and residents.

Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Sadyr Zhaparov met with residents moving into the new homes.

President Ilham Aliyev said:

- I want to greet our dear residents of the village of Khidirli. On your behalf and on behalf of all our former displaced persons, I express my gratitude to my dear brother, the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov, for his assistance in the restoration and revival of Karabakh.

At Sadyr Nurgozhoevich’s initiative, a wonderful school was built in the village of Khidirli, which is now the largest residential area in this region. Today, we inspected and officially opened it. The school was named after Aykol Manas. As you know, "Manas" is the epic of the Kyrgyz people; it embodies their spirit. I am confident that this school and everything related to the future development of this village will remain connected with our Kyrgyz brothers. Today, as Karabakh and East Zangezur are being revived, infrastructure, houses, and public buildings are being constructed. First and foremost, in every project, we plan schools, kindergartens, nurseries, and medical points. Life cannot be normal without these. And, of course, at a time when we are implementing the “Great Return” program successfully, the help from brotherly countries is especially valuable. This help comes from the soul, from the heart of the Kyrgyz people. As I have already said, the President of Kyrgyzstan was the initiator of this. As you know, last year in April - there is even a photo inside the school - Sadyr Nurgozhoevich and I laid the foundation of this school and agreed that when it was ready, we would come together. This coincided with the fact that the village of Khidirli itself is now ready: with beautiful houses, a community center, a medical point, and such a wonderful educational institution. This once again speaks to the brotherhood of our countries and our historical, ethnic, cultural, and spiritual closeness. On this foundation, today we have built a solid building of Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani friendship.

I have visited Kyrgyzstan many times, and Sadyr Nurgozhoevich has visited Azerbaijan on numerous occasions. This is his second visit to the Karabakh region. Today and tomorrow, we will continue holding joint events.

Today, we dedicated the opening of a school to the first stage of the return of the residents of Khidirli, who, during the long years of occupation, lived in difficult conditions - some in dormitories, others in kindergarten buildings. Until 2007, many lived in tent camps. They endured all the hardships of the period when our lands were under occupation. Yet, they did not lose heart; they believed and knew that we would surely return to these lands, the lands of our ancestors. And we returned as victors, as the rightful owners of these lands. Therefore, everything that was destroyed here - not only in the city of Aghdam but throughout the entire Aghdam district, where not a single building was left undestroyed - we are now bringing back to life.

I sincerely congratulate all of you.

Residents: Thank you very much. May God bless you.

President Ilham Aliyev: My gratitude goes to my dear brother Sadyr Nurgozhoevich for such a fraternal gift. I wish the peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan peace, prosperity, development, and well-being. A small piece of Kyrgyzstan will forever remain here, on our beloved Aghdam land. I congratulate you all.

President Sadyr Zhaparov: Dear residents of the village of Khidirli, dear brothers and sisters,

I bring warm greetings from the people of Kyrgyzstan and express my sincere respect to the Azerbaijani people. We have just opened the Manas Secondary School in the Azerbaijani village of Khidirli. I am confident that this historic event will further strengthen our spiritual bonds. We share common values, and it is our duty to pass them on to the next generation. The Heydar Aliyev School in Bishkek and this Manas School in the village of Khidirli stand as symbols of the friendship between our peoples. I wish the students of this school enduring success and excellence. Good luck.

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Then, the key handover ceremony was held.

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Resident: Dear President Ilham Aliyev, we express our special gratitude to you for the conditions you have created for us. You liberated our village from occupation and had homes built for us here. We are thankful to you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you, you’re very welcome.

Male resident: Esteemed President of the Kyrgyz Republic, I wish you a long life.

President Sadyr Zhaparov: I congratulate you once again on your new homes. I wish you happiness, prosperity, and success. Protect your President Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev. Thanks to his sound foreign policy, he has returned these lands to you. Today, you have your own homes. Once again, congratulations.

Female resident: We are delighted to see you in the ancient land of Karabakh, in Khidirli village. Esteemed President Sadyr Zhaparov, we express our deep gratitude for your contribution to the construction of this school. Thank you very much. We kindly ask you to convey our sincere thanks and respect to the brotherly Kyrgyz people.

Esteemed President Ilham Heydar oglu, we are overjoyed to see you in our village today. We love you dearly. We thank you for the homes you have gifted us. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev: You’re welcome. Thank you very much.