Alberta Azerbaijani Cultural Society is a member of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations in Canada.

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First Congress of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Canadian Organizations was held in Toronto on May 30 2009. Among participants of the Congress were Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Canada Mr. Farid Shafiev, members of Azerbaijani organizations in Canada and members of the Azerbaijan State Diaspora Committee. Vice-President of ALACS Sabina Isgandarova was invited to represent our society.

The Congress was opened by president of Association of Azerbaijanis of Quebec, Mr. Masud Aliyev. He was followed by Professor Ilham Axundov, president of Canada Azerbaijan Partnership Association, who told about political, humanitarian and education projects carried out by the Assembly from the moment of its foundation December 2006. He had also outlined the importance of building collaboration with federal and provincial parliaments of Canada as well as importance of building a strong Diaspora. The Congress participants had extensively acknowledged the work done by the Assembly.

Presentations were also done by president of Association of Azerbaijanis of Ontario Javad Zarrin, president of Azerbaijani Society in Ottawa Yashar Mugan, president of the World Azerbaijani-Turk Women Society Kamala Shiriyeva.

President of Canadian Azerbaijani Art Society Yusif Savalan and vise-president of Alberta Azerbaijani Cultural Society Sabina Isgandarova in their presentations have expressed wishes to join the Assembly.

Vice-President of ALACS Sabina Isgandarova in her speech thanked the Assembly for the invitation to the Congress and briefly told about activities of ALACS from the moment of ALACS incorporation in 2005 including the web-site, radio program “Voice of Azerbaijan” and Sunday Azerbaijani language school.

She also told about her wishes to see all Azerbaijanis in Canada to be united by common ideas of propagating Azerbaijani history and culture and asked the Congress to review the application of ALACS to the Assembly as a starting point of bringing together Azerbaijani Diasporas from Western and Eastern Canada.

The Congress had carried for both applications. Thus the number of Diaspora Organizations in the Assembly reached 12.

Other discussion topics of the Congress included important questions raised by the World Azerbaijani Congress.

In his presentation, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Canada Mr. Farid Shafiev told about Azerbaijan – Canada intergovernmental relations. He had also expressed his best wishes for the work of Diaspora in Canada.  

Representative of Azerbaijan State Diaspora Committee Javanshir Veliyev told about support that the State Committee and the President of Azerbaijan carry for Diasporas abroad.

Following members of the federal parliament of Canada Yasmin Ratansi, Ken Drayden, Kirsty Duncan, Barry Devolin, John McKay, Robert Oliphant and of the provincial parliament of Ontario Reza Moridi, Monte Kvinter, Ramal Helili as well as members of Turkish, Russian and Jewish Diasporas participated in the Congress.

Canadian Parliament Members congratulated Azerbaijani people and Canadian Azerbaijanis with the Republic Day of Azerbaijan on May 28 and expressed the best wishes for the Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations in Canada.

Federal MP Ken Drayden on behalf of the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and MP M. Ignatiyeff and provintial MP of Ontario Reza Moridi on behalf of the president of the Ontario Parliament Dalton McGuinty had read the letters of congratulations addressed to the Azerbaijani people (Greetings from Ignatieff.pdf and Greetings from McGuinty.pdf).

MP Yasmin Ratansi had presented to the Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations of Canada the "Certificate of Achievement" (Certificat of Achievement.pdf) for successful activities and achievements in the development of collaboration between people of Azerbaijan and Canada.

The Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations in Canada was founded 17 December 2006 by 8 Diaspora Organizations in Ontario and Quebec:

Association of Azerbaijanis of Quebec

Canadian – Azerbaijani Friendship Association

Ontario Azerbaijanis Society

Association of Canadian – Azerbaijani Collaboration

Canadian – Azerbaijani Trade Centre

Canadian – Azerbaijani Student Society

Canadian – Azerbaijani Women Association

Canadian – Azerbaijani Youth Association.

First Meeting of the Assembly was held in January 2007. The goals of the Assembly are to extensively enlighten Canadian society on Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan – related issues including severe outcomes of the Karabakh war; to support external political course of Azerbaijan and to propagate it in Canada and North America; to support unification of Azerbaijani Diasporas and to support active integration of Azerbaijanis in social and political life of Canada.

May 30 2009