On May 8, a scientific-practical conference “The Future of Azerbaijan: In the Light of Heydar Aliyev’s Legacy” was held at Sumgayit State University within the framework of “Sumgayit – 2025 Youth Capital” and “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty” dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of the birth of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev. The conference was jointly organized by the Sumgayit City Executive Power, Absheron-Khizi Regional Youth and Sports Department and Sumgayit State University.

The participants of the event first laid flowers in front of the bust of the National Leader erected in the university lobby and viewed an exhibition of photos reflecting different periods of Heydar Aliyev’s life. During the conference, which continued in the Assembly Hall of the University, the dear memory of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was commemorated with a minute of silence, and the National Anthem was played. Opening the conference with an introductory speech, the rector of Sumgayit State University, corresponding member of ANAS, professor Aminagha Sadigov expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the conference, spoke about the rich and honorable life path of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, his invaluable services in strengthening statehood and forming the ideology of Azerbaijaniism. He noted that as a result of these services, May 10 is celebrated by our people every year as a national holiday. Drawing attention to the fact that the life and activities of the great leader are an endless topic, Aminagha Sadigov emphasized that the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev was not only a statesman, but also a great school. Speaking about the characteristics of the great personality, he noted that the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev possessed innate talent, acquired deep scientific and political knowledge, and constantly mobilized this knowledge for the welfare of his people, the development of society and the future of humanity. His wisdom, foresight and rich life experience left an invaluable legacy for the Azerbaijani people. For this reason, studying, analyzing and fully conveying the rich ideological and political heritage of Heydar Aliyev to future generations is an important task for Azerbaijani science and education. Consistent and purposeful work is being carried out in this direction, as in all higher educational institutions of the country, at Sumgayit State University. The Heydar Aliyev Center operating at the university is of particular importance in this regard. The Center regularly holds discussions and educational events on the life and activities of the Great Leader, the strategy of national statehood, as well as the upbringing of young people in the spirit of patriotism. In his speech, he also spoke about the attention and care shown by the Great Leader and his worthy successor, President Ilham Aliyev, to the youth of Azerbaijan and the development of education, as well as the successful domestic and foreign policies he pursued. He emphasized that the Great Leader always assessed the development of science and education as the main factor of the country's progress. He touched upon the meeting he held with scientists during the second period of Heydar Aliyev's rule, that is, during the years of independence, and said that the Great Leader listened carefully to the concerns and problems of the scientific community at this meeting and took concrete steps to solve them. One of the important decisions made in this direction was to increase the salaries of scientists working at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences by 10 times. At the end of his speech, A. Sadigov called on the youth of Azerbaijan to be guided by the ideas of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev in their lives and to unite under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev to ensure the eternal survival of our independence and take strong and determined steps. He expressed his belief that young people will play an important role in both the development of the country and in ensuring future successes.