Sustainable Development Goals at Baku State University.

On November 20, 2025, the History Faculty of Baku State University held a scientific seminar dedicated to the fifth anniversary of Victory Day, marking Azerbaijan’s triumph in the 44-day Patriotic War. The event began with the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence in honor of the martyrs.

The seminar was officially opened by Associate Professor Kamala Najafova, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs of the History Faculty, who emphasized the importance of organizing a series of Victory Day events across the country, including at Baku State University. She highlighted that the historical victory was driven by the determination of the Supreme Commander, the resolve of the people inspired by the "Iron Fist" operation, unity between citizens and government, the state’s economic strength, and modern army development.

Professor Yaqub Mahmudov, Head of the Department of Ancient World and Medieval History, delivered a comprehensive presentation titled “The Historical Victory That Restored the Title of Victorious People.” The lecture provided an overview of the history of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region from ancient times to the present, including its territory, population, administrative divisions, socio-economic conditions, and political life. The seminar also analyzed the creation of the fictitious Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region within the Azerbaijan SSR in the 1920s, its consequences, and the baseless territorial claims of Armenians over the mountainous part of Karabakh, supported by primary sources, archival documents, and academic literature.

The seminar further examined the emergence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict due to Armenia’s expansionist policies in the 1980s–1990s, the First Karabakh War, the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijanis in Armenia and Karabakh, attacks on civilians, vandalism against cultural heritage, and the ineffective role of the OSCE Minsk Group in resolving the conflict.

The core of the seminar focused on the Patriotic War of 2020. Professor Mahmudov discussed the start of the Second Karabakh War, the execution of the "Iron Fist" operation, Armenia’s military and political failure, the unprecedented Shusha operation, liberation of Azerbaijani territories by the national army, diplomatic achievements of President Ilham Aliyev, support from allied states, international reactions, media coverage, the November 10 ceasefire agreement, post-conflict regional developments, Azerbaijan–Turkey brotherhood, the Shusha Declaration, and reconstruction and repopulation plans under the "Great Return" program, highlighting the revival of liberated cities, towns, and villages, including Shusha as the cultural capital of Karabakh.

The seminar was attended by faculty members of the History Department, PhD students, undergraduates, and researchers from the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Institute of History and Ethnology.

SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)