The “3rd Forum of Azerbaijani Engineers Living in Europe” was held in Hamburg, Germany, within the framework of the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture”. The State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SCWD) informed elchi that the forum was organized on the topic of “Smart City technologies and processes” with the support of the committee and the organization of the Alliance of Azerbaijanis in Germany.
The event was attended by Azerbaijani engineers, architects, Azerbaijani and foreign experts in urban planning, as well as representatives of science and business operating in various European countries. The purpose of the forum was to discuss innovative approaches in the field of modern urban planning, share advanced international experience, and expand cooperation among Azerbaijani specialists living abroad.
The opening ceremony began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Germany, followed by a tribute to the dear memory of the sons of the motherland who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of our country.
Altay Rustamli, Chairman of the Board of the Alliance of Azerbaijanis in Germany, provided information on the results of the forums held to date and shared his views on future perspectives. Elxan Sadigzade, associate professor and professor at Ruhr University in Germany, delivered a short report on the main results of the forums of Azerbaijani Engineers Living in Europe.
In his speech, Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the SCWD, stated that the organization of forums for specialists working abroad and representing the same field has already become a tradition. The achievements obtained show that such forums create unique and more sustainable opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and experience.
The Chairman also provided detailed information about the committee’s strategic projects and noted that the activities of world Azerbaijanis are always in the spotlight of the Azerbaijani state, including President Ilham Aliyev.
In her speech, Gulchohra Mammadova, Rector of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, noted that the forums are not only a discussion platform but also a dynamic environment where intellectual discoveries and creative inspiration are formed.
Sanan Tapdigov, a member of the Board of the Intellectual Property Agency, and Ruhlan Nabiyev, counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Federal Republic of Germany, expressed their confidence that the forum promises successful prospects and voiced their proposals for deepening cooperation between Azerbaijani and foreign engineers.
At the forum, attended by hundreds of specialists from 11 European countries and more than 40 cities in Germany, a video reflecting the history of the development of engineering science, as well as the achievements of previous forums, was shown.
Detailed information was provided at the event about the projects implemented by Azerbaijan in the field of urban planning and architecture, especially the “smart city” and “smart village” concepts established in the liberated territories. The engineers exchanged views on current topics such as digital transformation, sustainable urban development, the application of artificial intelligence in city management, energy efficiency, smart transport systems, and ecological solutions, and shared their thoughts on short-term and long-term plans in these directions.
At the forum, Elxan Richard Sadik-Zada, an associate professor at Ruhr University in Germany, who is included in the ranking list of the world’s top 2 percent of scientists, was awarded the medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan “For Service in Diaspora Activities”.
The forum, moderated by Gunay Mirzayeva, a member of the Board of the Alliance of Azerbaijanis in Germany and head of the Stuttgart Azerbaijan House, continued with various panel discussions, presentations, and networking meetings. The panel discussions were on the topics of “European experience in Smart City and urban planning” and “Cities of the future, construction, digitalization, and sustainability”.
Guests showed great interest in the exhibition of photos of German monuments in Azerbaijan, which was organized at the venue where the forum was held.
Within the framework of the forum, a “Memorandum of Understanding in the field of future scientific research and studies” was signed between the Brandenburg University of Technology in Germany and the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction.