On June 25, Sumgayit State University hosted an online scientific-practical conference on "The Road to Victory" on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of the National Army.

First, the memory of all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was commemorated with a minute of silence.

Opening the event, the rector of the university, Professor Elkhan Huseynov, congratulated all members of our Army and the people of Azerbaijan, including the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day on June 26. He noted that the Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan is solemnly celebrated in our country as a national holiday. The author of the history of this day as a holiday is the founder of the modern Azerbaijani Army, national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev. Heydar Aliyev was a prominent statesman, great politician and professional soldier. That is why the main aspect of army building, which was founded after the Great Leader came to power, was the implementation of high professionalism. The Great Leader established a specialized military school named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski in 1971 and ensured the education of our youth in this direction. After the restoration of state independence in 1991, a decision was made to establish the Azerbaijani Army. After 1993, important steps were taken in Azerbaijan in the field of army building. Structural and personnel changes began to take place in the Armed Forces, and a regular army was created under a single command. According to the decision of the national leader Heydar Aliyev dated May 22, 1998, June 26 was declared the Armed Forces Day. The achievements of Heydar Aliyev's rule in all spheres of society, especially the steps taken to build the army, the active diplomatic struggle for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have strengthened Azerbaijan as an independent state and given it great prestige in the world community. The historic victory in the Second Karabakh War as a result of the strength of his army and civil solidarity once again proved the wisdom and foresight of Heydar Aliyev, who said, "I believe in him as much as I do and have high hopes for his future." The glorious victory in the Great Patriotic War meant the realization of the dreams of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev for the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Thanks to the determination, unshakable will of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani army, our occupied lands were liberated as a result of the 44-day "Iron Fist" counter-offensive launched on September 27 last year.

Professor Shirkhan Salimov, Head of the Department of History of the Peoples of Azerbaijan and Eastern Europe, made a report on "The Road to Victory" at the conference. He noted that as a result of the successful continuation of the army-building strategy founded by national leader Heydar Aliyev by President Ilham Aliyev, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, today the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have become the most powerful army in the region. During the 44-day war, the occupied territories of Azerbaijan were liberated from the Armenian aggressors by the Supreme Command of Mr. Ilham Aliyev. This glorious victory, which is one of the brightest and most memorable pages in the history of our people, is based on the leadership qualities of President Ilham Aliyev, as well as the achievements of Azerbaijan in the socio-economic, political, cultural and military spheres.

Associate Professor of Department of Economics, Doctor of Philosophy in Economics Saadat Humbataliyeva delivered speech on "Our economic strength is a guarantee of our victory", Head of the Department of Solid State and Semiconductor Physics, Professor Mahammadali Zarbaliyev on "The road to victory passes through the unity of the people and the army", Emil Mammadov, a third-year student of the Faculty of History and Geography, spoke on "Implementing the political ideas of Heydar Aliyev - Ilham Aliyev." They noted that the Armed Forces, founded by our great leader Heydar Aliyev, are successfully developing in all directions under the leadership of our Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. The road to victory began with the will of the great leader Heydar Aliyev's political successor. The head of state carefully implemented the foreign policy strategy developed by the great statesman Heydar Aliyev for a long time and which has no alternative. He faced hardships, but he did not give up and won. The economic strength we have created over the last 17 years has given us the potential to win. The speakers emphasized that from the first day of military operations, the citizens of Azerbaijan were closely united around the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and the Presidential-People's-Army Union laid the foundation for our victory.