Yesterday, the victory of "Qarabağ" Football Club over a great football club with a rich history like "Benfica" in Lisbon was a moment of great pride. I could not attend myself, but I want to share with you the presence of my family members and friends at the stadium.
They watched "Qarabağ" live, and I, too, felt as if I was with them, watching the game live on TV. I experienced that joy, that excitement, here, watching from the screen with my whole being.
When a large number of Azerbaijanis entered the stadium, the score was already 1-0 in favor of Benfica. But believe me, no one was disheartened. Everyone was shouting “Qarabağ! Qarabağ!” with all their might. Even when the score was 2-0, no one despaired.
On the contrary, the cheering grew louder. With that same belief, after it became 2-1, we became even more hopeful, and the whole world saw the result: "Qarabağ" turned the game around and achieved a historic victory.
For us, it is very significant that this victory was achieved in the country where we live, in Portugal. Because with this game, "Qarabağ" and Azerbaijan became known throughout Portugal. The people in the stadium, the millions of fans in front of their televisions, saw that Azerbaijani football exists, Azerbaijani fans exist, and the Azerbaijani spirit exists.
In this victory, Khankendi, Shusha appeared before their eyes. I remembered the summer camp we attended this year...
In that camp, everything is focused on victory. We are imbued with the strength that we can only achieve victory.
These thoughts belong to an Azerbaijani woman living in Lisbon.
The next guest of the “Voice of Diaspora” project, which will present interviews with Azerbaijanis living abroad about their daily lives, their efforts to preserve our culture, their creative initiatives, and public activities, is Nərgiz Qarazadə.
First, let us state that summer camps organized for Azerbaijani youth living and studying abroad introduce our compatriots to each other, creating a strong foundation for future cooperation ties. Few countries in the world can now be found where Azerbaijani youth do not participate in these camps. Nərgiz Qarazadə is one of the participants in the camp.
Nərgiz Qafarzadə, who has been living in Lisbon with her family since 2022, also participated in the VI Summer Camp of Diaspora Youth held in Khankendi this year. This experience, gained by over a hundred Azerbaijani young people from different countries, has been valuable for her both personally and professionally.
Our interviewee, currently visiting Baku for a short period, notes that initially, it was very difficult for her to adapt to the calm and balanced lifestyle of the Portuguese.
However, over time, she accepted this rhythm. According to her, the Portuguese are distinguished by being friendly, open, and helpful.
Their simple and relaxed philosophy of life, cafe culture, and emphasis on family have attracted her attention.
Nevertheless, Nərgiz most regrets the absence of a tea culture in the country where she lives.
Our interviewee states that there are not many Azerbaijanis in Portugal. Nevertheless, positive perceptions about our country have formed there.
She cited the community's activities and our strength as a nation that liberated its lands from occupation as reasons for this.
Azerbaijan is also known in this country for its culture. The Azerbaijani woman, who says she has not encountered any negative stereotypes to date, adds that the Portuguese constantly ask her questions about our country with interest.
According to Nərgiz Qafarzadə, education in Portugal is student-oriented and more flexible. Assessment is based on research skills, analytical thinking, and presentation abilities. Internal scholarship programs are widespread in universities, and students' employment opportunities are also high.
According to N. Qafarzadə, the activities of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora are always visible among Azerbaijanis. The State Committee provides significant support to ensure that Azerbaijani community members in Lisbon are more organized.
Nərgiz Qafarzadə believes that the most effective way to promote the country is through the presentation of music, customs, traditions, and national cuisine. In this regard, her presentations in Portugal, conducted in the same vein to this day, have generated great interest. The travel plans of her university friends to Azerbaijan are proof of this. Among the local population, Qarabağ shikashtasi, national sweets, plov, and dolma have always aroused particular interest.
“And finally, my beautiful Baku… When I show pictures to my friends, they are very surprised to see both the ancient and modern aspects of the city. They liken Baku to modern European cities and say that Baku is more exotic. Some have even started planning to visit Azerbaijan,” she notes.
Our interlocutor still cannot shake off the impact of the VI Summer Camp of Diaspora Youth organized in Khankendi this year.
If we refer to her words, she actually does not want to shake off this impact. And the absolute majority of our compatriots who participated in the camp share this sentiment.
Familiarity with the liberated regions, what they heard from prominent Azerbaijani public figures regarding state and statehood, meetings with martyrs' families and veterans, and the rapid reconstruction work in those regions have left an indelible mark on the memory of all participants.
And especially, the coordinated activities of the young people who participated in the camp after returning are very important for Nərgiz.
Dancing yallı on Jidir Duzu, drinking water from Isa Bulagi are unforgettable memories for the camp participants, exemplified by her. The camp has held great value in terms of friendships, strengthening national identity, patriotism, and statehood.
Like her friends, Nərgiz Qarazadə's goal is to apply the knowledge and experience she has gained in a beneficial way in her country. She wants to contribute to Azerbaijan with modern approaches in documentation and information sciences, as well as in the field of education. For her, the most important goal is both personal development and remaining connected to her homeland.
For your information, Nərgiz Qarazadə was born on April 16, 1994, in Barda district. In 2010, she entered the Faculty of International Relations and Economics at Baku State University and completed her bachelor's degree in 2014. During her studies, she interned at the Milli Majlis and also volunteered at the ASAN Service center.
From 2015 to 2022, she worked at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Currently, she is pursuing a master's degree in Information and Documentation Sciences at the University of Lisbon.
