2012 February 24th Commemoration of 20th Anniversary of Khojaly genocide. Click here for the link. January 1st Celebration of New Year and the Day of Solidarity of the World Azerbaijanis 2011 December 2011 Annual General Meeting, December 17th, Burc Intercultural Centre Azerbaijani Community Recognition pin selection November 2011 Community meeting for the next year planning and membership initiation July 5-7, World Azerbaijani Congress, Baku May 28-29, Saturday Azerbaijani flag raise ceremony at 8:30am. To celebrate Republic Day of Azerbaijan and to acknowledge multiculturalism and friendships between Canadian and Azerbaijani communities, Azerbaijani flag was raised in the Calgary City Hall. This event was also celebrated with a BBQ picnic next day. March 19, Saturday,  4-9pm. Novruz Party with Azerbaijani Community in Calgary. Crescent Heights Community Centre main hall. 1101-2nd St. NW  Calgary, AB. T2M 2V7 It will be a potluck party. Tickets are $15. February 27, Saturday,  1-4pm. "Justice for Khojaly" Commemoration Event, Tuxedo Park Community Centre.

2010

 
2009

This is our third year with the Edmonton Heritage Festival. Our Society was first to initiate featuring Azerbaijani culture during the Heritage days and has participated in the Edmonton Heritage Festival since 2007. Among our trophies are “Best Cultural Education Display” in 2007 and Merve Nur Demir was selected as Azerbaijani Princess and Festival Princess and Ambassador in 2008. Recently we have received response from Sue Ooraikul Thomas, 2008 Edmonton Heritage Festival Committee Chair on Azerbaijan Judging Feedback: “You did make the list of finalists. You were given higher marks in culture, then food, then overall (these were the three categories assessed in the preliminary judging). One of the comments in the food category was "Great Job - on site cooler! Excellent!" In the final judging, your food preparation was marked average, arts & crafts was above average to excellent and general cleanliness was above average - this was with respect to the other finalists (marking scale was poor, fair, average, above average, excellent)”. Azerbaijani Pavilion Specifications for the year 2009: Dates: Saturday August 1 12 – 9pm; Sunday August 2, 10am -9pm and Monday August 3, 10am – 7pm. Location: Hawrelak Park, site#2, by the lake. Menu: Chicken Kebab – marinated chicken kebab prepared according to an ancient Caucasus recipe Qutab – style meat pie – Marinated beef on a thin crust baked to perfection topped with sumakh Vegetarian Qutab – style spinach pie – Fresh spinach dressed with lemon juice and spices on a thin crust baked to perfection Vegitarian Appetizer – A small cup of cold yogurt with fresh cucumbers topped with dried rose flowers Pakhlava [Baklava] (2pcs) – Baklava with almonds, walnuts and pistachio. Add 1 cup of coffee for 1 ticket! Pop or Water Entertainment: “Aurora” dance group has volunteered for us since our first year. They will perform two modern Azerbaijani dances. This year we are featuring Guljahan Jabrailova, or just Gula (on the picture). Gula is 12 years old and originally from  Baku, Azerbaijan. She has danced since she was 3. Gula will also perform for us 2 dances. Gula is also promoting Azerbaijan in the Festival on our radio program. It is possible that we will have other interesting surprises!

Western Canada Tour of Amina Figarova and her sextet - June 25 – 28 2009 Amina Figarova is a famous jazz composer and performer currently residing in Rotterdam, Netherlands. We first had opportunity to meet Amina Figarova and her sextet in Yardbird Suite, Edmonton, April 2008. Then Amina gave a wonderful interview to our radio program “Voice of Azerbaijan”. She told us about her group, education and how much she missed Baku and Caspian sea. Amina was very pleased to meet members of Azerbaijani community in Edmonton. Amina and her sextet are back this year and will have a tour in Western Canada including four different cities June 25 - 28:  Calgary Jazz festival Thursday June 25, http://www.calgaryjazz.com/2007/Festival/cjazzfestival.htm Medicine Hat Jazz festival Friday June 26. http://www.medicinehatjazzfest.com Edmonton Jazz festival Saturday June 27, 9pm, $20 – Yardbird Suite http://www.yardbirdsuite.com/home.htm Vancouver Jazz festival Sunday June 28 http://www.coastaljazz.ca/     May 30 - 2009 - Alberta Azerbaijani Cultural Society became a member of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations in Canada! The First Congress of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Organizations in Canada took place in Toronto, ON. 12 Azerbaijani Canadian Societies had participated  in the Congress  and Vice-President of ALACS Sabina Isgandarova was invited to represent our society. Among other participants and guests were Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Canada, Mr. Farid Shafiyev , Azerbaijan State Diaspora Committee and representatives of several Azerbaijani Diasporas across Canada. Read complete story here. May 28 - 2009 - The Republic Day of Azerbaijan! Join us in celebration of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan! As a sign of multicultural solidarity Azerbaijani flag was poled today in the City Hall of Edmonton! Watch the Video! Əziz Azərbaycanlılar, Azərbaycan vətəndaşları və Azərbaycan Xalqının dostları! Alberta Azərbaycanlıların Mədəniyət Cəmiyəti Sizi   28 May Azərbaycan Respublika günü münasibətilə təbrik edir. Bu gün Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyətinin yaranmasından 91 il ötür. 1918-ci mayın 28-də Şərqdə ilk demokratik respublika-Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti yaranıb. Bu hakimiyyət 23 aylıq faliyyətdən sonra 1920-ci ilin aprelin 27-də 11-ci ordunun müdaxiləsi nəticəsində süqut edib və düz 71 il sonra Azərbaycan xalqı öz dövlət müstəqilliyini bərpa edib. Bu günün münasibətiylə Azərbaycan bayrağı Azərbaycan torpaqların azadlığının əlaməti kimi Edmonton Bələdiyyə Binasında qaldırıldı (City Hall, Chirchill Square, Edmonton). May 22 - 2009  - Mr. Farid Shafiyev appointed as Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Canada - Congratulations! Baku - APA. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev issued an order to appoint Farid Rauf oglu Shafiyev as an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Azerbaijan to Canada. The President’s press service told APA. According to another order of the president, Farid Rauf oglu Shafiyev was given the diplomatic rank of extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan. May 21 - 2009 Two presentations about Azerbaijan were given as a part of Multicultural Day in Callingwood Elementary School. Children of grades 2 to 6 participated in the event and have learned a lot of wonderful things about Azerbaijani history and culture!

• March 11 - 2009 - The very first statement at the Senate of Canada regarding the Khojali Massacre of 1992. Congratulations to the Azerbaijani community, their friends and all advocates for justice and respect for human life! 

Statement by:

The Honourable David P. Smith

THE SENATE

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

THOMAS C. GOLTZ

Hon. David P. Smith:  Honourable senators, last week the Azerbaijani community of Ottawa hosted distinguished American professor and journalist Thomas Goltz. He currently teaches at Montana State University. Mr. Goltz was at the National Library and Archives to discuss the events in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly 17 years ago. He also attended a newsmaker breakfast at the National Press Club last Tuesday morning, which I also attended.

Mr. Goltz has been reporting from the South Caucasus since the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991, and has published many books on the subject. I invite all honourable senators to join him and the Azerbaijani community throughout Canada in commemorating the Khojaly tragedy.

View this statement here: Khojaly-DavidSmithstatement-2009.pdf

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Alberta Azerbaijani Cultural Society expresses deep gratitude to Honorable David P. Smith for being the first Canadian Senator who stood up with Azerbaijani people in commemorating one of the terrible crimes against humanity - Khojaly massacre committed by Armenian terrorists in town of Khojaly, February 1992!
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Read more about Khojaly massacre here: KHOJALY.pdf

Message from Vahid Garusi, Vice-President of the Calgary branch of ALACS to Honorable David P. Smith:

Dear Honorable David P. Smith,

As an Azerbaijani-Canadian, I am delighted to hear about the occasion of the very first statement at the Senate of Canada by you regarding the Khojali Massacre of 1992 in Azerbaijan.
 
I believe that you have courageously spoken for the victims of Khojali and for the cause of ultimate justice for Khojali. I truly appreciate your efforts in this regard. I hope for the day that the Canadian government provides more support for the people of Azerbaijan: either for those in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and also those Azerbaijanis living under the suppression of Iran in the South Azerbaijan.
   
Best regards,

Vahid Garousi, Ph.D., P.Eng.

• March 20 - 2009 Novruz bayramınız mübarək olsun!

Dear friends,

 We would like to inform all of you that Celebration of Novruz Bayram this year will take place on Sunday March 22, 5-8 PM at Centre for Newcomers. The address is: 125, 920 36^th St. NE, Calgary

 Admission is free for ALACS members. Non-members should purchase the annual membership at the door. Please, fill this form and bring it with you. Admission for children is free.

 If you would like to attend the event, please reply to either Vahid (garusi@yahoo.com) or Azer (azarsamadi@hotmail.com) as soon as possible via email, so we can determine the total number of guests.

 We are looking forward to seeing you!

 Sincerely,

Vahid, on behalf of the ALACS Organization Committee

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Əziz dostlar,

 Hər vaxtınız xeyr olsun. Biz sevinirik ki, sizi bu ilin Novruz bayramı şənliğinə dəvət edirik. Şənlik Mart ayın 22-də, Bazar gunu saat 5dən, 8ə qədər yeni muhacirlər mərkəzində (Centre for Newcomers) olacaq. Ünvan: 125, 920 36^th St. NE, Calgary

 ALACS’ın üzvlərinə iştirək etmək pulsuzdur. O dostlar, ki hənuz ALACS’a üzv olmayıblar, lütfən programın əvvəlində, üzv olmaqları lazımdır. O dostlar, lütfən burada olan formı doldursunlar.

 Əgər istəyirsiniz bu şənlikdə iştirak edəsiniz, lütfən tezlikcə ya Vehid  (garusi@yahoo.com) ve ya Azer bəylərə (azarsamadi@hotmail.com) emaylə ailənizin sayını ki iştirak edəcəklər xəbər versin.

 Sizin hamınızının görməğini dinləyirik!

 Dərin sayğilarla,

--Vehid

ALACSın Planlaşdırmaq komitəsinin tərəfindən.

Synopsis: Late at night on January 19 1990, 26.000 Soviet troops stormed Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. More than 130 people were randomly shot and died from wounds received that night and during subsequent violent confrontations that lasted in February; the majority of them were civilians. More than 700 civilians were wounded. Hundreds of people were detained, only a handful of whom were put on trial for alleged criminal offenses.  This day in known since then as a Black January of Azerbaijani history.

Two years later, on February 26 2002, Armenian armed forces and to that time former Soviet Union regiment 366 had burned a town Khojaly of  ethnic Azerbaijanis, located in Garabagh region, the  heart of Azerbaijan. The city consisting of only civilians was burned over night resulting 700 people killed  and hundreds wounded. Since then Garabagh region is occupied by Armenian terrorists resulting in thousands of civilians killed and close to 1 million refugees.

 In both cases, no one was ever charged with killing several hundreds of civilians including women, children and seniors. The seminar will highlight these events  and consequences resulted from them. The seminar consisted of documentary, presentation and open discussions.