An educational event titled "Our Language is Our Identity: Let's Preserve Our Language!" was held in the Marble Hall of Khazar University on February 21, 2025, organized by the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Folklore. The event aimed to inform participants about the challenges the Azerbaijani language has overcome to reach its current level, how it developed, and most importantly, how to preserve the language.

The event began with the performance of the Azerbaijan National Anthem. First-year Khazar University students Nigar Alasgarli and Pari Nasibova recited the poem "My Mother Tongue" by People's Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade. Following a performance by Khazar University's Chamber Orchestra, Associate Professor Aynur Gazanfargizi, coordinator of the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Folklore, addressed the audience. She spoke about the history of "February 21 - International Mother Language Day" and emphasized the importance of its commemoration. She noted that preserving one's mother tongue is a sacred duty at all times and places.

In his speech, Professor Acad. Hamlet Isakhanli, founder of Khazar University and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Trustees, discussed the history of our literary language, the development path of our language, and the importance of learning the Azerbaijani language for the English-language Khazar University. He noted that Azerbaijani language is taught in all specialties at Khazar University.

Khazar University teachers ashug Ramin Garayev and singer Mahsati Jabbarova performed a cheerful song set to the tune of "Godak Donu" with lyrics by Hamlet Isakhanli.

Former Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkologist, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Firudin Jalilov discussed the position of the Turkic language family among world languages, characteristics of Turkic languages, the law of synharmonism, and general and special grammatical categories in Turkic languages. He provided information about the ancestral home of ancient Turks and theories of proto-language. He touched upon word formation and borrowing processes in languages and emphasized the importance of creating common terminology for Turkic peoples. At the end of his speech, he donated his books to the Khazar University library.

Dr. Sevinj Gambarli, lecturer at the Department of Languages and Literature at Khazar University, spoke about the dialectology of the Azerbaijani language, changes in relevant terminology, and innovations in this field. She noted that dialectological atlases were first compiled in the Azerbaijani language among the Turkic language family, with the "Dialectological Atlas of the Azerbaijani Language" published in 1990, the "Nakhchivan Dialectological Atlas" in 2015, and the "Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur Dialectological Atlas" in 2022.

The event concluded with a performance by Khazar University's Chamber Orchestra.

Nigar Alasgarli

Khazar University,

Azerbaijan Language and Literature Teaching, 1st year