Azerbaijan Cultural Society
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| Azərbaycan Kültür Dərnəyi | |
| Founder | Mahammad Amin Rasulzade |
|---|---|
Official language | Azerbaijani language, Turkic languages |
| Leader | Jamil Unal |
Azerbaijan Cultural Society - the first Azerbaijani diaspora organization in the world was established in 1949 in Turkey. This organization was founded by Mahammad Amin Rasulzade, one of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The first president of the society was Hamid Ataman.[1][2]
History
Establishment and purpose
The new phase of Azerbaijani political migration activity in Turkey began with the return of Mahammad Amin Rasulzade in 1947, who had left Turkey in 1931. During the years of his absence in Turkey (1931–1947), Resulzadeh worked as the head of the Azerbaijan National Center in various European countries after the end of World War II, before returning to Turkey. In this new period, the most active migration center became the Azerbaijan Cultural Society, established in 1924 under the initiative of Rasulzade, who led the Azerbaijan National Center.
The Azerbaijan Cultural Society, under the leadership of Rasulzade, along with the Azerbaijani National Independence Party, led the struggle for the independence and freedom of Azerbaijan in Turkey, and assumed the mission of being the main headquarters and carrier in Azerbaijan.
With the establishment of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society in Ankara, the focus of Azerbaijani political migration activity in Turkey shifted from Istanbul to Ankara. Subsequently, all the activities of the migration, especially the publication of the "Azerbaijan" journal, were carried out in Ankara.
On February 1, 1949, the statute of the society, founded by Memmed Altunbay, Hamid Ataman,[3] and Aziz Alpaut, listed the following founding objectives:[4]
Collecting, studying, and disseminating information about Azerbaijan, its history, and culture.
Publishing books, journals, and newspapers and organizing cultural events.
Providing financial and moral assistance to those in need.
Establishing branches for sports, theater, opera, folklore, music, women, media, and youth, and organizing folklore groups.
Organizing nature and tourist excursions.
Opening student dormitories.
The statute of the Union is constantly updated to meet the emerging needs of the historical process.
One of the important goals of the society was to introduce Azerbaijan to Turkey and ensure the support of Anatolian Turks for the just cause of Azerbaijan. According to the "Azerbaijan" journal, which is the publishing organ of the society, the main objective of the society was "to introduce Azerbaijani culture to Anatolian Turks and to further strengthen and consolidate the literary-cultural relations between these two branches of the great Turkic nation." The president of the society, Kerim Oder, used similar expressions in his speech in 1958, stating, "Nine years ago, with your help, we started this path by using the limited opportunities and means available to bring together two separated brothers emotionally and spiritually." Oder also added that maximum attention was paid to the unity and cohesion of various Turkic associations when organizing the society's events.
In the book published on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the society, the leadership of the society expressed that they had achieved the objectives mentioned above on a large scale.
The Azerbaijani Turks, together with the modern Ergenekon of world Turks, which consists of Anatolian Turks in terms of language, history, art, culture, and folklore, have demonstrated efforts of unity. Looking back at the 40-year period, we see how much progress we have made and how we have overcome political and geographical obstacles from the Aegean to the Caspian, embodying a cultural integrity... All of these are the results of the work of an art forge that has lasted for 40 years. The Azerbaijan Cultural Society experiences the joy of introducing and endearing Turks to Turks with every step, every aspect, and every situation.
The first headquarters of the society was the Waqf Office Building, which was constructed in the Ulus district of Ankara as one of the contemporary buildings of the period. The building was rented jointly with the Turkish Nationalists Association. For a long time, the Azerbaijan Cultural Society used the building on Saturdays, while the Turkish Nationalists Association used it on Sundays. In 1985, the headquarters of the society was moved to Sakarya Street in Kızılay, and in the autumn of 1990, it was relocated to a building in Kavaklıdere. In October 1992, the society purchased a building on Bayındır Street in Kızılay, which is now used as the central headquarters of the society.[5]
Following the military coup on September 12, 1980, the activities of all organizations and associations, including the Azerbaijan Cultural Society, were temporarily suspended. The sealed headquarters of the society was reopened shortly thereafter, following protests from the officials, by the order of the respective military authorities.
Not long after, upon the demand of citizens living in other cities, the society opened new branches in other cities, primarily in Istanbul, in 1991. These branches began operating in the cities of Izmir, Bursa, Antalya, Sivas, Kayseri, Turqutlu, Soke, and others.[6]
Activity of the association in the independence process of Azerbaijan
The process that began in the mid-1980s and led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union was closely monitored by the Azerbaijan Cultural Society. During this period, when the society supported Azerbaijan's independence demands, it also mobilized all resources in the face of pressures and massacres inflicted by Armenians to compel Azerbaijanis, coinciding with the independence process. The society reacted strongly to the migration of Turks, especially from Yerevan, and attempts to occupy Karabakh. In response, rallies were organized in various parts of the country to create public opinion and disseminate information within the society by establishing media centers. The events unfolding in Azerbaijan found their reflection both in the Azerbaijan Turkish Culture journal, the publishing organ of the society, and in meetings held at the society's headquarters. In response to these events, the Azerbaijan National Center organized a press conference on Karabakh and Nakhchivan, rejecting the unjust and baseless demands of the Armenians. In this process, the Azerbaijan Cultural Society, together with the Turkish Societies Association, organized the "Azerbaijan Events Symposium" in Ankara on March 26, 1988. From 1988 onwards, the society continued its relations with Azerbaijan in education, culture, social assistance, and other issues without cutting ties. During this period, the society primarily developed its relations and cooperation with many institutions and organizations such as the Azerbaijan People's Front, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, the Azerbaijan Journalists' Union, and others.[7] These relations soon translated into concrete steps. The first example of this was the "Literature of Azerbaijan in Migration Life" symposium organized jointly by the Azerbaijan Cultural Society and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences from April 1 to 6, 1991 in Baku. On the occasion of this symposium, an official meeting was held in Baku for the first time with the leader of the Azerbaijan People's Front, Abulfaz Elchibey, and a cooperation protocol was signed. During this visit, meetings were also held with Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Hasan Hasanov. As a concrete expression of these relations, a symposium dedicated to the 850th anniversary of the birth of Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi was held in Ankara from May 3 to 9, 1991, through the collaboration of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. In 1989, the society also hosted children who came from Azerbaijan to participate in the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day. Additionally, in 1989, famous Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, the president of the Vatan Society, Elchin Efendiev, the director of the Azerbaijan Medical Institute, Prof. Nureddin Rzayev, renowned Azerbaijani historians Abbas Zamanov and Ziya Bunyadov, and the religious leader of the Caucasus Muslims, A. Pashazade, visited the society. In June 1991, during an official visit to Turkey, Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutalibov also visited the society's headquarters. During this period of rapidly evolving events in Azerbaijan, the society demonstrated multifaceted and active engagement. For instance, in 1991, amidst the ongoing events in Karabakh, the society organized a donation campaign for Azerbaijan Turks injured on the front lines. That same year, as a result of a contract with the Azerbaijan People's Front, the society brought 50 students selected through exams from Baku to universities in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and provided them with conditions for higher education. The Ministry of Education later adopted this model, pioneered by the Azerbaijan Cultural Society, and implemented this experience in a manner that would encompass the entire Turkic world. Following the victory of the Azerbaijan People's Front in the general elections held on June 7, 1992, relations between the Azerbaijan Cultural Society and the Azerbaijani government further developed. After Abulfaz Elchibey was elected President of Azerbaijan, he made his first official visit to Turkey in June 1992. During this visit, Elchibey visited the Azerbaijan Cultural Society, wrote his thoughts and feelings in the society's honorary book, and also visited the grave of Mahammad Amin Rasulzade, the leader of the Azerbaijani political migration, and the honorary president of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society.[8]