Conference was held through the joint efforts of Qizilbash Global Heritage Organization and Fund for Support to Azerbaijani Diaspora in accordance with the activity plan of the events to be held in the Republic of Azerbaijan in the framework of the “Year of Heydar Aliyev”. 

Before the conference, participants visited the tomb of Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the modern Azerbaijan in the Alley of Honors and the graves of martyrs in the Martyrs' Lane.

The opening ceremony of the conference started with the State Anthem of Azerbaijan. Then, dear memories of the great leader Heydar Aliyev and our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our country's sovereignty were remembered with great fondness.

Following, a video-roll called "The Heritage of Qizilbash    in Azerbaijan" prepared by our compatriots living in Canada and with the support to State Committee on Work with Diaspora, was screened.  

Elshad Aliyev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, delivered opening speech and gave information about the objectives of the conference and the activity of the Committee.

He has noted that it has become a necessity to benefit from historical imperial heritage, (human investment, material and non-material heritage) of the Safavid, Afshar and Qajar states founded by the Azerbaijani qizilbashes in the second half of the 15th century, and the State Committee on Work with Diaspora started the initial activity in the realization of this important mission.

Farid Jafarli, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, underlined the importance of holding a conference dedicated to an important topic. Stating that the Ministry of Culture is also responsible for the preservation of historical monuments, the deputy minister has added that along with many historical monuments, the heritage of Gilzbash was exposed to destruction as a result of the 30-year Armenian occupation.

Babek Huseynli, chairman of the Qizilbash Global Heritage Organization, has told that he is happy to welcome the representatives of the Qizilbash in their homeland. He has mentioned that the organization was established three years ago with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, and during the Second Karabakh War, this organization had an important role in conveying the truths of Azerbaijan to the world community.

The deputy chairman of Qizilbash Global Heritage Organization, Arshi Qizilbash, has told that the goals of the organization is to grow and take the Qizilbash Global Heritage Organization to the United Nations and UNESCO for recognition as a world heritage organization.

It should be noted that representatives of the Qizilbash Global Heritage Organization from Pakistan, Turkiye, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Afghanistan, MP-s, Azerbaijani and Turkish researchers of the Qizilbash   heritage, representatives of various governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations and international organizations attended the conference.

The conference will continue its work with panel sessions.