Baku, December 8, AZERTAC

First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva has made an Instagram post on the launch of a project on restoration of our religious monuments and mosques in ancient land of Karabakh. AZERTAC presents the post.

“Dear fellow citizens!

Recent days, we have all been enjoying the pride and joy of the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Having been under Armenia’s occupation for about thirty years, our lands were liberated due to the courage of our heroic soldiers and officers led by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev.

We are viewing today’s condition of our liberated lands with a heavy heart. Armenian occupants have, over the course of these years, destroyed our cities and districts, residential and administrative buildings, and all the infrastructure there, having plundered our natural resources, subjecting our religious, cultural and historical monuments on these territories to acts of vandalism. No sign of prosperity - once existed in the beautiful corner of Azerbaijan, Karabakh - is seen there.

Nevertheless, I want to assure you that under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, we will turn the whole region of Karabakh into one of the most beautiful regions of Azerbaijan. Life would revive here again, all the districts restored, and our fellow citizens will live and create in their native lands.

Dear fellow citizens,

Since the first day of its activity, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has been implementing projects and programmes in Azerbaijan in various spheres. The activity of the Foundation aiming to preserve and restore historical, cultural and religious monuments is well-known. And today, with the feeling of pride, I want to inform that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has launched a project to restore our religious monuments and mosques - a national reach of the Azerbaijani people - in the Karabakh land. In the framework of this project, restoration, conservation and reconstruction of our sanctuaries in the region will be performed, with participation of local and foreign specialists. Works have already begun on restoration of religious sites subjected to destruction in the city of Shusha and Aghdam district over the course of these years.

Once barbarously destructed, turned into a stall by Armenians, our holy religious sites will revive, and sounds of azan will be heard and prayers read in our mosques all across Karabakh!

With deep respect and love,

Your MEHRIBAN”