Commemoration event for the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide held in Berlin
Berlin – On February 21, 2026, a memorial event marking the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy was held in Berlin. The event was jointly organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany, the Azerbaijani Cultural Center, and the Azerbaijani Cultural House “Khari Bülbül.”
At the beginning of the event, participants honored the victims with a minute of silence. Afterwards, a short film about the events of Khojaly, produced in German by the embassy, was shown.
In her speech, the head of the Azerbaijani Cultural House “Khari Bülbül,” Sevda Badaliouri, emphasized that the Khojaly tragedy represents one of the most severe and painful chapters in the history of the Azerbaijani people.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Germany, Nasimi Aghayev, stated in his address that the events in Khojaly were the first genocide committed in Europe after the end of the Cold War. He recalled that in a single night 613 innocent people were killed, 1,275 civilians were taken captive, and 150 people remain missing to this day.
The importance of the international campaign “Justice for Khojaly,” initiated by Leyla Aliyeva, was also highlighted, noting its significant role in raising international awareness about the events.
Ambassador Aghayev also emphasized that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty had been fully restored. Today, Khojaly is being rebuilt, the city is developing dynamically, and the return of residents to their homeland has already begun.
Later in the program, Dr. Afat Nabili, a lecturer of the “Khari Bülbül” Cultural House, delivered a presentation titled “Khojaly: Memory, Law, and the Justice of Time”. She spoke about the severe consequences of the tragedy and stressed that the massacre was not only a crime against the Azerbaijani people but against all humanity.
Turkologist and translator Michael Reinhard Hess, as well as Erkan Gülen, chairman of the Germany-based association “Alaturka,” also emphasized in their remarks the need for an objective assessment of the events under international law. They highlighted that passing on the historical truth about Khojaly to future generations is both a moral and historical responsibility.
The event concluded with a musical composition performed in memory of the victims of Khojaly. Pianist and professor at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Germany, Nigar Sadigova - who is also a teacher at the “Khari Bülbül” Cultural House - performed works by renowned composers.
