The official opening ceremony of the 'Azerbaijan' residential complex, constructed by Azerbaijan in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş, was held on Thursday and was attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The complex was built after the devastating earthquake of the 6 February 2023. Azerbaijan sent more than a thousand personnel to help with rescue efforts as well as doctors, to the affected regions.
A special Azerbaijan quarter was built to show the strong brotherhood between the two nations.
The ceremony began with the national anthems of both countries, followed by the screening of a video dedicated to the newly built neighbourhood.
In his address, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the devastating earthquake was met with deep sorrow by the Azerbaijani people. He highlighted that Azerbaijan responded swiftly from the very first hours of the disaster:
“The people of Azerbaijan accepted this tragedy as their own. Nearly 1,000 personnel — rescuers, volunteers, and medical professionals — were immediately dispatched to the earthquake-affected regions. 53 individuals were rescued from the rubble, and medical aid was provided to over 3,200 people.”
President Ilham Aliyev said “The people of Azerbaijan felt this tragedy as their own”
President Aliyev noted that the opening of the 'Azerbaijan' neighborhood was another demonstration of the strong and enduring friendship and brotherhood between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
President Erdoğan: “This neighborhood has become a symbol of our friendship”
President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Azerbaijani government and people, extending special thanks to President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva:
“The heartfelt support and aid from Can (Dear) Azerbaijan will never be forgotten. This neighborhood has become a true symbol of our friendship. It is not just about houses — a school, kindergarten, and cultural centre have also been built here.”
President Erdoğan also stated that the reconstruction efforts in the earthquake-hit areas are progressing rapidly. He says construction is currently underway for 2,778 residential units, shops, and offices, with plans to complete the remaining projects by the end of the year.
Foundation laid, keys handed over, ribbon cut
As part of the event, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan laid the foundation stone — virtually — for a future cultural centre in the 'Azerbaijan' neighbourhood. Keys to newly completed apartments were handed over to several families, and a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony was held.
The presidents also toured the residential complex and inspected the construction. They visited the Heydar Aliyev Primary School and the adjacent kindergarten. Students performed the patriotic song “Çırpınırdı Qara Dəniz” (“The Black Sea Was Stirring”), which was met with great interest by the presidents.
President Aliyev and President Erdoğan also distributed report cards to fourth-grade graduates and gifted them school backpacks.
The 'Azerbaijan' neighbourhood
The construction of the 'Azerbaijan' neighbourhood was carried out by the State Housing Development Agency of Azerbaijan (MIDA). Spanning an area of 27.6 hectares, the complex includes 68 buildings with a total of 1,194 apartments, the Heydar Aliyev Primary School, a kindergarten, a cultural centre, and 1,595 commercial and non-residential units.
The school and kindergarten were officially inaugurated in September 2024. According to the master plan, construction of four blocks — numbered 7, 8, 11, and 12 — has already been completed. These blocks contain 26 buildings, offering 456 apartments and 328 commercial and service units.
An Historic Symbol of Brotherhood
This inauguration ceremony, attended by the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, stands as a powerful symbol of unbreakable friendship, mutual support, and regional solidarity between the two brotherly nations. It is an historic example of cooperation and unity that continues to deepen with each new milestone.
Millions of people across 13 countries are expected to face worsening food insecurity between June and November 2026, according to a new report from t...
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. ...
Ukraine is seeking an additional $20 billion in military funding from its allies, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Wednesday, as Kyiv looks t...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had a "very good" conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in ...
Uzbekistan unveiled an ambitious investment and reform agenda at the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, bringing together more than 8,300 ...
Millions of people across 13 countries are expected to face worsening food insecurity between June and November 2026, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
Ukraine is seeking an additional $20 billion in military funding from its allies, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Wednesday, as Kyiv looks to strengthen its battlefield position and increase pressure on Russia ahead of potential negotiations.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had a "very good" conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in France, adding that Washington and New Delhi were working on trade agreements despite recent strains in bilateral ties.
Uzbekistan unveiled an ambitious investment and reform agenda at the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, bringing together more than 8,300 participants from 100 countries, including heads of state, government officials, global corporations and international financial institutions.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
Pakistan's heavy reliance on imported energy was laid bare by the U.S.-Iran conflict, which disrupted regional supplies, drove up costs and exposed vulnerabilities in the country's energy security. However, a proposed peace agreement now offers hope for economic relief.
Uzbekistan unveiled an ambitious investment and reform agenda at the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, bringing together more than 8,300 participants from 100 countries, including heads of state, government officials, global corporations and international financial institutions.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Abdolnasser Hemmati, is visiting Russia to strengthen bilateral monetary and banking relations as Tehran and Moscow seek closer financial cooperation amid Western sanctions.
Britain has announced an additional £8 million ($11 million) to help Pakistan combat illegal migration, human trafficking and organised crime, while praising Islamabad's role in diplomacy that helped secure the recent U.S.-Iran agreement.
Kazakhstan will begin routing selected government expenditures worth more than 100 million tenge ($190,000) through its digital tenge platform, expanding the use of the central bank digital currency to strengthen oversight of public spending.
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understand his own mixed Nordic identity.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment