On December 12 a ceremony held in St. Petersburg commemorated the national leader Heydar Aliyev, said the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Saint Petersburg. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the St. Petersburg public, Azeri intelegencia, influential businessmen, the Azerbaijani diasporas, as well as Azerbaijani students studying in St. Petersburg.
At the ceremony attended by over 250 people the memory of the national leader was commemorated with a minute of silence. Then after listening to the national anthem of Azerbaijan a film about the life of Heydar Aliyev has been shown
Opening ceremony Azerbaijan's Consul General Gudsi Osmanov spoke about the state policy on Azerbaijanis living abroad generated by the national leader and is now successfully implemented by ongoing leadership of the country.
Osmanov informed in detail about the exclusive role of Heydar Aliyev in building a democratic society in the history of the statehood of Azerbaijan, the innovations in the socio-political, economic and cultural life of Azerbaijan and the strong friendship and brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Russia also initiated by Heydar Aliyev. Consul-General stressed that these links are being strengthened by Ilham Aliyev - ongoing president. He urged the youth to take an active role in Russian society.
During his speeches Academician Garayev, rector of the university in Smolny G. Imanov, a member of the cinematography union in Russia M. Aliyev said that despite the fact that they live in Russia, they are closely watching the happening events happening in Azerbaijan and underlined the merit of Heydar Aliyev's policy of statehood.
Speakers at the ceremony spoke about the life of the architect and the founder of the Azerbaijan state Heydar Aliyev and his invaluable role in the creation, strengthening and preservation of Azerbaijani statehood, its care, it has shown towards fellow citizens and young people living in Russia.
At the end of the ceremony in honor of Heydar Aliyev were read prayers from the Holy Quran.
In the hall where the ceremony took place, was shown a photographic exhibition on the life and activity of Heydar Aliyev, as well as on his visit to St. Petersburg.