As part of the Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty, a roundtable titled “The role of philologists and translators in the development of the state language” was held at Azerbaijan University, organised by the Department of Translation and Philology. The event was attended by assoc. prof. Safar Mammadov, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Gulnar Rzayeva, head of the Department and PhD in Philology; faculty members; Fuad Ibrahimov, economic expert; Azer Bayramov, military expert; Aziz Alibeyli, political expert; and a group of students.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks by Gulnar Rzayeva, who greeted the participants and introduced the guests. Highlighting the purpose and significance of the roundtable, she emphasized the vital role philologists and translators play in the preservation and development of the state language.

The first speaker, economic expert Fuad Ibrahimov, discussed the economic significance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the economic opportunities arising from the President’s recent visit to China. He noted that, thanks to global projects, Azerbaijan’s economy has become even more attractive and that the development of the non-oil sector will create new professions and jobs. Fuad Ibrahimov also touched upon the interconnection between a country’s unique language policy and its economy.

Next, military expert Azer Bayramov spoke about the consequences of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, the process of army reorganization, the struggle of the Azerbaijani people, and the role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in building a modern army. He emphasized that after the Karabakh Victory and the 23-hour anti-terror operation, Azerbaijan’s sovereignty was fully restored. “The preservation of the native language is as sacred as the defense of the homeland,” he concluded.

Political expert Aziz Alibeyli in his speech addressed the youth’s responsibility to the state and the nation. He posed the question, “Is independence the same as

sovereignty?” and led an interactive discussion with the audience analyzing the key components of state formation, historical processes, and the current global political landscape. He stressed that with the right strategy, the Azerbaijani state ensures its territorial integrity and sovereignty. He also spoke about cyber sovereignty, information warfare, and Azerbaijan’s efforts in these areas, noting that in an information war, language and culture are the true weapons.

The event concluded with remarks by Safar Mammadov, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Huseyn Huseynli, a faculty member. They emphasized that Azerbaijani youth today are truly fortunate to live in a law-governed, free, independent, and sovereign homeland, and that the native language is as sacred as the land and the flag. The youth who will shape the country’s future must have a strong command of their native language and preserve it.

At the end of the event, participants took commemorative photos.

Public Relations Department