Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Ilhamgizi / "Migrants from Azerbaijan to Israel do not forget Azerbaijani history, culture and traditions," the Speaker of the Knesset (Israeli parliament), acting Israeli President, Dalia Isig, said speaking at an event of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan (28 May).
A celebration of Republic Day of Azerbaijan was held at a building of the Israeli parliament organised by Azerbaijani-Israeli international organization and attended by 300 members of the organization. The event was opened by Mr Isig.
In his speech Isig highly appreciated Azerbaijani-Israeli relationships and noted the important contribution to the development of Israel by the migrants from Azerbaijan. "It is worth appreciation that migrants from Azerbaijan of Israeli origin residing in Israel for over 10-15 years do not forget Azerbaijani history, culture and traditions. Israeli Knesset is your home and you are always welcome," the Speaker noted.
The president of the Azerbaijani-Israeli international association, Knesset MP, chairman of the Azerbaijani-Israeli inter-parliamentary friendship group, Joseph Shagul, drew the attention of the attendees to the fact that Azerbaijani Republic Day was celebrated in Israeli Parliament for the first time. "Seventeen years ago leaving Azerbaijan I could not imagine that I would become an MP of Knesset and organize a celebration on the Day of Azerbaijani Republic," he said. Shagul also spoke on his joint visit to the United States together with the Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Arthur Lenk, and the chairman of the State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Residing Abroad, Nazim Ibrahimov. He noted that the issues of mutual cooperation were discussed during the meeting with representatives of authoritative Jewish lobby.
The event was attended by representatives of the Our Home is Israel Party, Robert Ilatov and Alex Miller, Turkish Ambassador to Israel, Namik Tan and Georgian Ambassador to Israel, Lasha Jvania. Azerbaijani MPs, Lala Abasova and Safar Mammadov, noted the importance of expansion of bilateral bonds between Azerbaijan and Israel.