Toponyms of Territories Liberated from Occupation Discussed at BEU

A scientific seminar titled "Place names in the territories liberated from occupation are an affirmation of our history and national identity," dedicated to September 27 – Remembrance Day, was held at the Department of Azerbaijani Language and Pedagogy of Baku Engineering University (BEU).

The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs.

Agasi Malikov, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at BEU, who delivered the opening speech at the seminar, described September 27 as a page of glorious heroism and honor in the history of our people. The Vice-Rector emphasized that the sense of national pride bestowed by the Karabakh Victory has created a great foundation for the scientific study and preservation of our cultural heritage, including our ancient place names, in the territories liberated from occupation, and noted that the seminar carries significant importance in this regard.

Tarana Hajiyeva, Head of the Department, who spoke at the event, drew attention to the origin of the names of our liberated territories, their connection to certain symbols, and the importance of young people knowing the historical roots of these geographical units. She noted that the study of place names in our lands is attracting particular interest today.

At the seminar, Assoc. Prof. of the Department and Professor of ANAS, Sevinj Aliyeva, delivered an extensive presentation on "The Etymology of Place Names in the Territories Liberated from Occupation." The speaker noted that every person, tribe, and nation is known by its own name, and that the ancient Turkic naming process was carried out with a special ceremony, stating that toponyms are important place names formed at the intersection of linguistics, history, and geography. The professor emphasized that the attempts by occupying forces to change the place names in our territories were aimed at erasing the historical memory of the people. Touching upon the significance of the restoration of the historical name of Sugovushan in 2020, Aliyeva drew attention to the importance of the correct pronunciation and use of place names in accordance with the phonetic, morphological, and syntactic structure of the Azerbaijani language.

At the end, questions of interest to the seminar participants were answered, and a broad exchange of views was held on the topic.