An official reception dedicated to Victory Day, November 8, was held in Belgrade by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Serbia.

The event was attended by Jagoda Lazarević, Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Serbia; Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs; Boris Bratina, Minister of Information and Telecommunications; Nenad Popović, Minister without Portfolio for International Economic Cooperation and the Social Position of the Church in the Country and Abroad; Damjan Jović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as well as state secretaries from the Ministries of Mining and Energy, Economy, Family Welfare and Demography, Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Culture, and Environmental Protection.

Other attendees included high-ranking state and government officials, prominent figures from the fields of science, art, and religion, representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Belgrade, the Serbia–Azerbaijan Friendship Society, and Azerbaijani compatriots living, working, and studying in Serbia.

At the beginning of the event, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Following the performance of the national anthems of both countries by the Find Your Star children’s choir, Ambassador Kamil Khasiyev delivered a speech highlighting the great cultural and spiritual importance of the liberated city of Shusha for the Azerbaijani people.

He emphasized that as a result of the 2020 counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was restored in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Over the past five years, large-scale reconstruction and restoration work has been carried out in the liberated territories — including the construction of new roads, airports, schools, and public buildings — while tens of thousands of internally displaced persons have been returning to their native lands.

Ambassador Khasiyev noted that immediately after the cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijan proposed establishing bilateral relations with Armenia and signing a peace agreement based on the principles of international law — sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of international borders.

The reception underlined the high level of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia and expressed confidence that the upcoming visit of President Aleksandar Vučić to Baku next year would give new momentum to cooperation between the two countries.

Captain Jafar Mammadov, Senior Assistant to the Military Attaché of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Serbia, stated that Victory Day, November 8, symbolizes the historic triumph of the Azerbaijani people and state in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, which resulted in the full restoration of the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He described the day as a celebration of the people’s struggle for freedom and justice, as well as a symbol of national unity and pride.

As part of the cultural program, Jasmina Trumbetaš Petrović, prima soprano of the Serbian National Theatre and director of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Belgrade, performed the song “Azerbaijan” by world-renowned singer Muslim Magomayev.

The event concluded with the screening of a short video dedicated to Victory Day, showcasing the heroism and unity of the Azerbaijani people, as well as the reconstruction works in the regions liberated from occupation.

An official reception in honor of the guests followed.