On 21-23 February, 2014 schoolchildren of school No. 1 and 4 of Khojaly Village in Goranboy region, Azerbaijan visited Medieval Agsu Town Archaeological Tourism Complex under guidance of teacher of physics, Kanan Guliyev and secondary school teacher, Sadagat Ibrahimova.
The project started with initiative of MIRAS Social Organization in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage, as well as Executive Power of Agsu and Khojaly regions, Az-Granata MMC, aims at encouraging patriotism among the schoolchildren and recognizing history and cultural heritage of the country. Main target is to study Agsu and its cultural heritage for Garabakh schoolchildren, driven out from their native abodes, lived refugee life, unaware of parents and lands of grandfathers, longing for homeland living on frontline.
First the schoolchildren were taken from the place by bus, taken to Agsu, placed in Medieval Agsu Town Archaeological Tourism Complex within the project to cover other frontline schools. On 22 February the excursion launched to Haydar Aliyev Park and there schoolchildren were widely informed about Agsu. Later they came to Agsu History and Local Lore Museum and familiarized with artifacts belonged to the period from ancient to modern age. Khojaly teachers stated they would assist in enriching Khojaly section in the future within the museum. Khojaly schoolchildren got acquainted with Haydar Aliyev Centre and met there a group of Agsu schoolchildren and teachers. The seminar entitled “Azerbaijani cultural heritage-Khojaly and Agsu Monuments” held in Haydar Aliyev Centre was opened by chairman of MIRAS Social Organization, PhD Fariz Khalilli. Deputy of Executive Power head of Agsu region, Sevil Mirzaliyeva; the head of the centre, Reyhana Tajizade, on behalf of Khojaly schoolchildren, Sadagat Ibrahimova and Agsu, Sanan Nematov made a speech. After “Khojaly time” film produced by MIRAS shown, F. Khalilli spoke and linked Khojaly genocide with its history and cultural heritage in his speech. He stressed: “we can be stronger in case we own our cultural heritage”. The schoolchildren were guests of Az-Granata MMC. The technologist Gurbat Safarov acquainted the schoolchildren with the production process of world famous juices of Agsu. Clean and fast process of producing caused the interest of the schoolchildren. At the end of the day the schoolchildren being in medieval Shikhmazid settlement where Agsu expedition presently conducts archaeological explorations, followed the excavations, visited newly-found public building and Shikhmazid Tomb. Meeting with associate member of NASA Jafar Giyasi and Professor Gafar Jabiyev was very interesting for schoolchildren. Interest to archaeology and history grew when they saw Elmira Abbasova, the woman archaeologist.
On 2 February Khojaly schoolchildren walked along Medieval Agsu Town Archaeological Tourism Complex, familiarized there with fortress walls, Juma Mosque, bath-complex, ice-house, artisan workshops, ruins of houses.
At the end Fariz Khalilli answered numerous questions of the schoolchildren and they in turn shared impressions, stated their first time there and share of information among fellows. Later on the schoolchildren of Khojaly were presented books, brochures and journals published by MIRAS.