The views expressed by President Ilham Aliyev regarding the proficiency and fluent command of the mother tongue among Azerbaijanis living abroad constitute a vital call to action for our compatriots, establishing key priorities for their activities. Organized by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, the extensive video conference held on the occasion of February 21 – International Mother Language Day provided an effective platform for discussing these calls and embodied the sense of national responsibility within Azerbaijani communities abroad.

The conference featured a video presentation of the President's speeches, attended by over 100 compatriots from 33 countries including Azerbaijan, the USA, Germany, Australia, Austria, the UAE, Bulgaria, the UK, the Czech Republic, China, Estonia, France, Georgia, Jordan, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Cyprus, Korea, Kuwait, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Hungary, Egypt, Moldova, Norway, Oman, Poland, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Ukraine, as well as teachers from Azerbaijani weekend schools abroad.

Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, stated in his speech: “The Azerbaijani language unites us and further strengthens our spiritual bonds and national unity. We must remember that it is essential for the new generation of the diaspora to learn their mother tongue to ensure the sustainability of our national unity. Dozens of weekend schools opened abroad with the support of the Azerbaijani state create great opportunities for our compatriots to master their native language and contribute to our solidarity.”

The conference participants were informed about weekend schools abroad and the “Karabakh” schools established through the initiative of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva. A comprehensive presentation of the “Milli Dilli” online educational platform was also held. Sevinj Aliyeva, the project's ideologue and director, discussed the platform's application possibilities and emphasized the importance of its sustainability. She shared insights regarding the creation of the characters 'Milli' and 'Dilli,' the risk of losing the mother tongue abroad, and the personal responsibility involved in its preservation. Additionally, she highlighted the teacher selection process within the project and the platform's positive long-term impact on the future of weekend schools.

The conference continued with a broad exchange of views on the importance of mother tongue proficiency among members of Azerbaijani communities abroad — particularly for the third and fourth-generation diaspora and the role of the “Milli Dilli” online educational platform in providing remote learning opportunities. Our compatriots emphasized that knowing the mother tongue strengthens intergenerational communication and plays a vital role in preserving the national spirit, stating that the “Milli Dilli” project will be indispensable in this field. The participants expressed their gratitude to the state for the support provided toward the development of the Azerbaijani language in foreign countries.

It should be noted that there are currently more than 90 Azerbaijani weekend schools operating across 24 countries worldwide. Among these, 32 schools functioning under the auspices of Azerbaijani Houses. The State Committee on Work with Diaspora provides every Azerbaijani weekend school abroad with textbooks and educational materials. Our compatriots, as well as foreign nationals who maintain a friendly relationship with our country, benefit from the services of Azerbaijani Houses and weekend schools free of charge.