In his speech, Professor Aminagha Sadigov emphasized the unparalleled services of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev in the development of the press in our country and noted that this policy of the National Leader who always paid special attention to the formation of free and objective media, is currently being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev. The high-level celebration of the 150th anniversary of the national press is a vivid example of this. The next speaker of the panel - People's Poet, MP Sabir Rustamkhanli, emphasized that this was his first time at SSU and thanked the university administration for organizing the exhibition. Noting that the university is a center of science and education, he said: "We highly appreciate such events. The meeting of teachers and students with books is a holiday." Sabir Rustamkhanli, recalling that he headed the newspaper "Azerbaijan", one of the first examples of free and democratic press during the period of independence, remembered the educators who laid the foundation of the national press 150 years ago: "Although they lived a century and a half before us, they are teachers of each of us in terms of thoughts and ideas." In the continuation of the panel session, members of the Milli Majlis - Hikmat Mammadov, Elnara Akimova and Vugar Rahimzadeh spoke and shared their views on the role of the press in social life, modern challenges and upcoming tasks. Speaking on the topic "Media and Democracy: The Role of Journalism in the Development of Society", MP Hikmat Mammadov noted that the role of free and responsible media in the formation of a democratic society is indispensable. Speaking about the importance of journalism in the formation of public opinion, he emphasized the importance of further developing the educational and critical approach skills of media representatives.

 

In her speech on the topic “Information War and the Azerbaijani Press”, MP Elnara Akimova drew attention to the processes taking place in the information security and media space in the modern era. She stated that, especially in times of information war, the flexible, correct and reliable position of the national press plays an important role in protecting the interests of the state. MP Vugar Rahimzadeh, speaking on the topic “Media Literacy: Informing the Society and Fighting Disinformation”, emphasized the importance of increasing information literacy in the digital era. He noted that today, in order to educate the society, prevent disinformation and ensure the correct flow of information, educational institutions should be active in addition to media organizations. At the end of the speeches, the speakers expressed their gratitude to the leadership of Sumgayit State University and the Azerbaijan Publishing Association (PUAAP) for organizing such an important event.

After the panel meeting, the participants got acquainted with the modern conditions created for students and teachers at the Library and Information Center of SSU.

 

Then the event continued with an exhibition organized in front of the main building of the university. Here, publications presented by various publishing houses, books on the history of the Azerbaijani press, and works by famous authors were exhibited. The university administration, parliamentarians, and other participants got acquainted with the stands set up at the exhibition. The students had interesting conversations with well-known writers and journalists in our country - writer-journalist Varis Yolchiyev, scholar-philologist and publicist Shamil Sadig, military journalist Sakhavat Mammadov, lieutenant colonel in the reserve, detective writer, and psychologist Elbrus Kalbiyev, and others. The exhibition continued with a concert program performed by students. It should be noted that the IV Sumgayit Book Fair will continue its activities at SSU on May 28. Within the framework of the exhibition, meetings with famous poets and writers, presentations of new publications, and author signing days will be held.