On October 25, ANAS Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature held a scientific conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Research and Development Society.
ANAS President, Academician Isa Habibbeyli opened the event and noted that the main goal of the conference is to assess the role of the Azerbaijan Research and Development Society in the formation of Azerbaijani science in the 20th century, to bring up the areas that were not researched by researchers and to bring them back to research and to present its multifaceted activities to the public. He noted that the Society for the Study and Research of Azerbaijan, founded on November 2, 1923 is the first higher scientific organization of our country in the direction of the organization of Azerbaijani science and the gathering of intellectuals of the time under one institution.
Academician Isa Habibbayli, who said that the society was ahead of its time with its activities in a short period of time, was organized in all fields of science, studied Azerbaijan, its language, history, folklore, traditions, nature, geology, highly appreciated the work done during that period and the next steps taken. He said that he formed a fertile ground for the establishment of the Academy.
President of ANAS noted that with the establishment of the Society, he fulfilled an important task of revealing and protecting the scientific potential, and with the formation of its branches in Nakhchivan and other regions, he contributed to the development of science in the regions.
The main speakers of today's event, Professor Asif Rustamli and Doctor of Philological Sciences Hamida Aliyeva, said that they are the main researchers of the Azerbaijan Research and Education Society in our country, they proposed to create a book reflecting all areas of the Society's activities with the co-authorship of the mentioned scientists and said that they would provide the necessary support for the publication. He noted that this book will be the main gift for the 80th anniversary of ANAS in 2025.
At the end of his speech, Academician Isa Habibbeyli pointed out that the 100th anniversary of the Society was celebrated at the Academy and the republic level, and in this regard, ANAS Presidium has prepared a plan of events.
Doctor of Philology, Professor Asif Rustamli, in his report entitled "Literary issues in the activities of the Research and Etymology Society" noted that although the founding date of the Society was indicated in various scientific studies as November 2, 1923, the newly discovered facts are different from the alleged date: "According to the available archival documents, we should note that in October of that year, the Organizational Commission was established for the institution, the editor of the newspaper "Communist" Habib Jabiyev was elected the chairman of the Commission, and V.A. Ryumin was elected the secretary. At the meeting of the organizing commission held on October 26, 1923, Taghi Shahbazi, Deputy Commissioner of Public Education, and Ahmet Pepinov, Deputy Head of Vocational Education, were accepted as members of the Commission, and the first list of 29 founders of the Azerbaijan Research and Education Society (although the composition of 44 people was planned beforehand) was approved. At that meeting, the address and place where the Society will temporarily operate was determined, the new institution was built in 1901 based on the project of civil engineers A. Kalgin and G. Termikelov, located at the intersection of the current Abdulkarim Alizadeh and Tarlan Aliyarbeyov streets, in building No. 5, until the Soviet era. It started working in Maarif House (later this building was also given to Knowledge Society), known as "Tbilisi Commercial Bank".
Hamida Aliyeva, an employee of the Azerbaijan University of Languages, doctor of philological sciences, said in her report "History of the Research and Education Society in Azerbaijan" that she has been conducting research in this direction since the mid-90s, and published a monograph in 1999.
At the event, the employees of the Institute of Literature - Doctors of Philology Güler Abdullabayova, Yashar Gasymbeyli, PhD in Philology Zakira Aliyeva and Ulkar Huseynova spoke about the historical necessity of the Azerbaijan Research and Education Society and its historical services in the development of Azerbaijani science.
