On 25 September 2026, the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan hosted a commemorative event marking Memorial Day and honouring the memory of the martyrs of the Patriotic War.

The event opened with the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A minute of silence was then observed in memory of the martyrs of the Patriotic War and all those who lost their lives defending their homeland.

Shafa Movsumov, Head of the Patriotic War Fund at the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan, addressed the gathering. He outlined the principal areas of the Fund’s work, which was established in January 2021. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying, collecting, preserving and conducting scholarly research on materials associated with participants of the Patriotic War, martyrs and veterans. These include items of clothing, documents, photographs and personal belongings, which are also made accessible to the wider public through research and museum activities.

The event brought together Bilal Mammadov, father of martyr Mahammad Mammadov; Nazim Sultanov, father of martyr Elshan Sultanli; Nariman Majidzade, father of martyr Saleh Majidzade; Hilal Mahmudov, father of National Hero of the Patriotic War and martyr Javid Mahmudov; Elchin Aliyev, a participant in the Patriotic War; and Chingiz Bayramov, Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Patriotic Enlightenment Public Association and a participant in the First Karabakh War.

Their contributions focused on the lives and military service of the martyrs, as well as their dedication and sacrifice in defence of their homeland. The speakers highlighted the role of museums in preserving historical memory and expressed their appreciation to the leadership of the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan for its attention to the legacy of the martyrs and for organising the commemorative event.

Independent researchers Faig Nasibov and Gunay Rzayeva, together with writer, publicist and artist Zahir Malikli, also presented their work devoted to the lives and military service of the martyrs. The books they had authored were donated to the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan and presented to the museum’s Director, Academician Naila Velikhanli.

The programme concluded with presentations by school students. Among the participants were Mahammad Bakhish, a sixth-grade student at the I. Afandiyev Elite Gymnasium in Baku and a bronze medalist at the SASMO International Mathematics Olympiad, and Huseyn Bahmanli, a fifth-grade student at Secondary School № 214 in Baku.

The participation and contributions of the students hold particular significance for preserving historical memory and fostering younger generations’ understanding of the history of the Patriotic War and the lives of the martyrs.