Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU) hosted an event called “Return to Khojaly” on the occasion of the 33rd  anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, organized by the Student Youth Organization (SYO) and the Student Trade Union Committee (STUC).

The event participants first observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide, as well as the sons of the Motherland who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. Then the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played.

AzTU Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation Subhan Namazov noted that the Khojaly genocide was the most terrible tragedy in human history. The Vice-Rector noted that the Khojaly genocide was experienced at the same time as a part of sadness and pride, and that the souls of the Khojaly victims were happy: “Thanks to the political will of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, the strength and invincibility of the Azerbaijani army, as a result of the anti-terrorist measures carried out in 2023, the sovereignty of our country was fully restored. Today, the Azerbaijani flag is hoisted everywhere in Azerbaijan, including in Khojaly.”

Then, the play “Return to Khojaly” prepared by AzTU students was demonstrated. At the beginning of the play, the events take place in Khojaly in February 1992. A family having dinner at home in the evening is suddenly attacked by Armenian armed groups. A child’s parents are brutally murdered before his eyes. The child, who lives with a sense of revenge, grows up and reaches adulthood, and years later, as a commander, he returns to Khojaly with his fellow soldiers. Here, memories of his father come to mind. The play ends with the words “The Karabakh horse, the Karabakh heroes have also returned to Khojaly, father. Your soul is probably happy!” Poems dedicated to Khojaly were also sung by the students as part of the event.

Recall that on the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed groups, with the participation of the 366th regiment of the former Soviet army located in the city of Khankendi, razed the city of Khojaly to the ground. As a result of another mass massacre committed by the Armenian aggressors against the Azerbaijani people, 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people, were killed with particular cruelty, 1,275 civilians were taken prisoner, and the fate of 150 people is still unknown. As a result of this act of genocide, 8 families were completely destroyed, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one of their parents.

On October 15, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev raised the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khojaly.

In accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the first migration to Khojaly took place in May 2024 as part of the Great Return to the liberated territories.

It should be noted that President Ilham Aliyev signed an Order “On the Establishment of the Khojaly Genocide Memorial Complex in the City of Khojaly” on February 25, 2025, in order to internationally promote the genocide committed against the Azerbaijani people and perpetuate the dear memory of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy.