Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 11 / Trend /
Astana commemorated Azerbaijani National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
The ceremony began at the Nur Astana mosque, the parishioners of which are over 5,000 people, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Kazakhstan reported.
There have been read prayers for the repose of the soul of the great leader. Then the embassy held a memorial dinner for needy families.
The embassy also organized a memorial dinner that was attended by members of the diplomatic missions of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Belarus and Egypt accredited in Kazakhstan, representatives of the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Friendship and Culture Association, rectors of the Kazakh Economy, Finance and International Trade University and the Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev, the universities' teaching staff, members of the Union of Azerbaijani national cultural centers in Kazakhstan, representatives of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, local media and a number of socio-political figures of Kazakhstan.
Rector of the Russian Peoples' Friendship University named after P.Lumumba Vladimir Filippov also attended the event.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Zakir Hashimov opened the ceremony and informed the participants with the life and work of the national leader.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vladimir Filippov and Rector of the Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev Abdiraiym Bakytzhan spoke about Heydar Aliyev's indispensable contribution in the development of relations between the two countries.
The similar ceremonies were organized in all regions of Kazakhstan to commemorate the national leader.
Heydar Aliyev passed away on Dec. 12, 2003.