Leila Alieva started her lecture with concept of “integration into Europe” and talked about various interpretations put behind these words. The lecture brought some light into various stereotypes and conflicting points as well as touched upon problems, obstacles and challenges Azerbaijan faces while tries to integrate into Europe.

Why Azerbaijan should integrate into Europe? Integration into Europe – what will it bring to us? When and how can Azerbaijan integrate into Europe? Does Europe wants our integration? Leila Alieva helped to answer these and similar questions during her lecture.

Also during the lecture, another interesting point surfaced – does Azerbaijan have any alternatives to eurointegration? Students analyzed these alternatives and compared them to eurointegration in the balances of logic.

At the end of the lecture, Leila Alieva gave distriputed signed copies of her recent book about Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Original news.

Historians, politicians and representatives of civil society discussed Azerbaijan’s democratic past and the heritage of its first republic.

On 2 October, Center for National and International Studies (CNIS) organized a conference titled “Democratic Values in the History of Azerbaijan.” Attended by several prominent Azeri historians and politicians, as well as the representatives of civil society and youth groups, the conference held discussions around Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920), its short experience of democracy-building and its heritage. Conference participants gave their interpretations about Azerbaijan’s first democratic republic’s legacies in the lights of today’s events. Discussions touched upon not only the role and policies of ADR, but also its implications for modern days and its comparison with the political system established in Azerbaijan now.

In 2008-2009, CNIS has held eight similar conferences on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the ADR in various regions of Azerbaijan. The main purpose of this project (project manager Leyla Aliyeva and project coordinator Aydin Balayev) was to research and discuss democratic traditions and values throughout Azerbaijani history.

The conferences that were held looked into the traditions of parliamentarianism in Azerbaijan (Sheki), the problems of Azerbaijan’s integration into Europe (Ganja), oil revenues and their mutual link with  reforms being implemented in the country (Salyan), the traditions and problems of Azerbaijani journalism (Shirvan), agrarian reforms (Quba), gender issues (Masalli), local government (Barda) and independent courts (Balakan). Several participants of these conferences were also present at final event in Baku.

During the last conference held in Baku, a special edition of CNIS containing minutes of all the previous conferences were presented to guests and participants.

The project was supported by the National Endowment for Democracy.

Watch her speech in full below.