The Institute of Geography named after acad. H.Aliyev of the MSEAR marked the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy.

First, a minute of silence was observed in memory of Khojaly victims.

Then a video dedicated to the Khojaly events was shown.

The acting director general of the institute, associate professor Zaur Imrani gave a speech and drew attention to the fact that the Khojaly tragedy was a bloody crime committed against all humanity. He said that as a result of this genocide, more than 600 civilians died, including 63 children, 106 women and a 70-year-old man, and many were taken prisoner and tortured. The Khojaly genocide is one of the bloodiest crimes committed against humanity. The residents of Khojaly were attacked solely because of their nationality and ethnicity. This incident once again demonstrated Armenia's behavior that violates international law and human rights. It is necessary for the Khojaly genocide to receive an appropriate political and legal assessment on a global scale to prevent such crimes in the future. Khojaly is not only a tragedy, but also a symbol of hope and revival. Today, the victims of Khojaly, all our martyrs have been avenged, our lands have been liberated from occupation, and our territorial integrity and sovereignty have been restored.

This act of genocide, which left an indelible mark in the national memory of Azerbaijan, became a great test not only for the Azerbaijani people, but also for the whole world.

Chairman of the trade union organization of the institute Kamran Ramazanli noted in his speech that in accordance with the decision taken on February 24, 1994 "Khojaly Genocide Day", the Khojaly tragedy is annually commemorated on February 26 throughout Azerbaijan. Also, in accordance with the decree signed by our national leader on February 25, 1997, on this day at 17:00 in our country we honored the memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide with a minute of silence. It is extremely important that this brutal massacre and genocide committed against the civilian population are never forgotten, that reliable information about Khojaly is conveyed to the younger generation, and that educational and propaganda work is constantly carried out. Heads of departments, Professor Rza Makhmudov, PhD in Geography Anvar Aliyev, Shamil Azizov, Doctor of Geography Stara Tarikhazar shared their thoughts about the Khojaly tragedy, paid tribute to the victims of Khojaly.

They expressed hope that the residents of Khojaly will return to their native lands and live a prosperous life.

The participants of the event prayed for the souls of the victims of the tragedy and all our sons and daughters who died for the integrity of Azerbaijan.