International conference addresses new global order in Shusha

On June 15, Azerbaijan’s National Salvation Day, the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) convened an international conference in Shusha titled “The New World Order: Geopolitical Aspects and Global Challenges,” bringing together political leaders and thinkers from across the region and beyond.

The event opened with a minute of silence in honor of national leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs of friendly nations. The Azerbaijani national anthem was then played. Head of the Department for Relations with Political Parties and Legislative Authority of the Presidential Administration Adalat Valiyev read a message from President Ilham Aliyev addressed to the participants.

Welcoming the participants to the city described as the “crown of Karabakh,” Special Representative of President in the Shusha district Aydin Karimov said National Salvation Day marked one of the brightest chapters in Azerbaijan’s history. He noted that over 20 historical monuments, including five mosques, have already been restored in Shusha as part of the Great Return process.

During the plenary session moderated by MP Ramil Hasan, YAP Deputy Chairman and Head of the Central Office Tahir Budagov recalled the historic context of June 15, 1993, when Heydar Aliyev was elected Speaker of the Parliament during a time of national crisis. Budagov emphasized that Aliyev’s leadership laid the foundation for modern Azerbaijan’s stability, development, and international reputation.

Highlighting the 4th anniversary of the 2021 Shusha Declaration between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, Budagov said President Ilham Aliyev’s pragmatic foreign policy had elevated Azerbaijan’s international standing. He pointed to the country’s achievements during its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement and its leadership in organizing COP29 as further proof of its global credibility.

AK Party First Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala said the Shusha Declaration marked a historic milestone in Turkiye-Azerbaijan relations. He honored those who died for the liberation of Karabakh, calling the victory a triumph not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire Turkic world.

Turkmenistan Democratic Party Chairman Ata Serdarow praised Azerbaijan’s progress and its growing influence in addressing global issues, affirming the strength of fraternal ties between the two nations. Northern Cyprus Prime Minister and UBP Chairman Ünal Üstel described Shusha as a “symbol of revival” and celebrated the unity of the Turkic world, reiterating Northern Cyprus’s role as an inseparable part of that family.

Subsequent panel sessions examined topics such as political paradigms, national sovereignty, artificial intelligence, and regional cooperation. These were moderated by figures such as Zafer Sırakaya, Ali Ahmadov, Bahar Muradova, and Adalat Muradov, and included contributions from leaders across Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

The conference concluded with the New Azerbaijan Party’s anthem, followed by participants visiting historical sites and reconstruction projects in Shusha and Khankendi.

The event, both symbolic and strategic, reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s growing diplomatic and political clout as it shapes a just, inclusive global order from the heart of Karabakh.