Thousands of people - representatives of the city public, sportsmen - gathered in front of the recently built Olympic sports complex in Ganja. They held national flags of our republic, portraits of the President, placards and slogans with the words "Mister President, we express to You our gratitude for our existence as a nation and state!", " Heydar - nation, nation - Heydar!", " Glory to President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev!".

The ceremony participants met President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev with loud applause.

Official part of solemn ceremony dedicated to the opening an Olympic sports complex was held here.

President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev has performed on solemn opening ceremony with the large speech.

In memory of opening ceremony to President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev was presented a carpet with his portrait weaved on it.

After the official part President Heydar Aliyev has met youth that was taking part in the ceremony, and expressed his interest in its problems. He has given instruction on eliminating of these problems to the heads of the applicable bodies.

Then President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and president of National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev cut up the band symbolizing the opening of Ganja Olympic sports complex.

The head of our state has entered the halls of the complex built in accordance to the international standards, has got acquainted to the conditions created for the sportsmen. The president of Azerbaijan was notified that in this complex, built in two years, it is possible to conduct competitions on republican and international scale on a number of kinds of sports. Putting to exploitation of the given complex, which is a gift of National Olympic Committee, will promote the further development of sports in Ganja and in Azerbaijan, in general.

Then the art-sports program, dedicated to the opening of an Olympic sports complex, was introduced. Sportsmen, visitors, city public representatives, who gathered in a large hall of the complex, met the head of our state with loud applause.

Right after the state hymn of Azerbaijan had sounded, the demonstrational performances of young sportsmen and sportsmen-kids were held. The songs, dances in execution of the figures of arts, collectives of art amateur performance of Ganja were also received with interest by all gathered on the ceremony.

On opening ceremony of Ganja Olympic complex presented: the deputy of the prime minister Abid Sharifov, heads of a number of the ministries, joint-stock companies, and also Olympic champions Rafiga Shabanova, Lyudmila Shubina, Nazim Guseynov, Namig Abdullayev, Zemfira Meftakheddinova, winners of world and Europe championships.

On September 12 the President of Azerbaijan, the Supreme commander-in-chief Heydar Aliyev arrived in located in Ganja military unit N. The soldiers and officers have warmly met the head of our state.

The Supreme commander-in-chief was informed about this military unit. The head of our state was warmly conversing with the personnel of the military unit, was interested in problems of the militarians. Then President Heydar Aliyev has got acquainted to the combat technique at disposal of the military part.

The exercises demonstrated by the scouting group of the military unit part with high professional training, have caused the big interest.

Then the ceremony, dedicated to the meeting of the President of Azerbaijan, Supreme commander-in-chief Heydar Aliyev with the militarians, was held.

On a parade-ground the Supreme commander-in-chief has bypassed the formation of soldiers of the military part, hailed them.

In execution of a military orchestra has sounded the state hymn of Azerbaijan Republic.

Speqking on the ceremony, minister of defense, general-colonel Safar Abiyev has thanked the head of our state, Supreme commander-in-chief Heydar Aliyev for meeting with soldiers and officers of the military unit. The minister has stressed that each such meeting of the Supreme commander-in-chief with militarians and instructions and recommendations given to them have an exceptional value for the reinforcing of our national army.

The president of Azerbaijan Republic, Supreme commander-in-chief Heydar Aliyev has performed on the ceremony with speech, has given the soldiers and officers the valuable guidelines about the right service to the Motherland, wished them successes in their famous work.

/The speech of the head of our state was listened with the large interest and was met with an applause / . In conclusion of the ceremony the members of special-purpose squad of the unit have demonstrated the methods of hand-to-hand battle. The personnel of the military unit has marched in front of a tribune, where the President of Azerbaijan, Supreme commander-in-chief Heydar Aliyev.

On September 12 in executive body Ganja was held the expanded sitting under the chairmanship presidency of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. The sitting was opened by the head of our state Heydar Aliyev.

Speaking on the sitting, chief executive of Ganja city Eyvaz Babayev, minister of economic development Farkhad Aliyev, president of joint-stock company "Azenerji" Etibar Pirverdiyev, chairman of joint-stock company "Àzerigaz" Alikhan Melikov, expressed their judgement connected to socio-economic problems of the city.

President Haydar Aliyev has summarized the sitting, gave the appropriate ministries and organizations instructions connected to the solution of set problems.

On September 13 President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev will depart to Geranboy district.

SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC, DEPUTY OF MILLI MEDJLIS ILHAM ALIYEV

- Dear mister President!
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
Today is a significant day in the history of Azerbaijan sports, new sports complex of National Olympic committee is opened up and put in exploitation in Ganja. I cordially congratulate all of you for this case. This complex meets the highest world standards, consists of two halls. Here it will be possible to train, to conduct studying and training, and to conduct international competitions on the highest level. I am sure that the Ganja-dwelling sportsmen, youth, children will use this complex efficiently.

Sports in Azerbaijan are developing promptly, comprehensively. Our sportsmen adequately introduce Azerbaijan on international competitions. It is enough to mention that for the last five years on international competitions, Olympic games, worldwide and European championships our sportsmen have conquered over 800 medals, including over 300 golden. We want our sportsmen to have good conditions for training. With this purpose the National Olympic Committee has approved the special program, which is being realized now.

We wanted very much to provide performances of our sportsmen on international competitions, and we have achieved it. Now I can tell that there is no such international competition or championship, on which our sportsmen would not appear. It is a very relevant factor, because, appearing on international competitions, the sportsman gets indispensable experience.

At the same time, we want international competitions to be conducted also in Azerbaijan. It is possible to say that in past we did not have such experience. However, for the last three years Azerbaijan has turned into an arena of international competitions. In the short term a championship of Europe on boxing among juniors, then worldwide championship was held in Azerbaijan. Europe championships on chess, bodybuilding, free strife were conducted in Azerbaijan.

On one hand, it even more serves to widespread of sports in Azerbaijan. Besides, Azerbaijan is now better known in the sports world. I can say that all international competitions held in Azerbaijan, were organized on the highest level. Not only we, but also the visitors who was taking part in competitions, sportsmen can confirm that. In general, international sports structures relate with big hope and respect to Azerbaijan. Our activity receives a very high estimation. I can bring one fact to your notice. On one of international conferences the president of International Olympic Committee, appearing before presidents of European national Olympic committees, said that all European Olympic committees should take an example from activity of National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. I consider this the highest estimation.

The national Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan is also seriously engaged in propaganda work. With this purpose since 1998 we have been issuing the journal "Olympia", in which all processes going in sports are reflected. At the same time recently the National Olympic Committee has begun the issuing of the newspaper "Olympic world".

We relate to the sportsmen with large care and attention. The national Olympic Committee has founded the special grant for the outstanding sportsmen, their coaches and veterans of sports, and it is received already for several years by over 60 sportsmen, coaches and veterans.

The national Olympic Committee exhibits large attention to the mass nature of sports. We want each child, each young man to be in sports. Since sports make the man physically healthy and improves spiritually. With this purpose National Olympic Committee some years ago have approved the special program, as a result of which today here is opened up this fine sports complex.

Before that the similar sports complexes were opened up in Baku, Mashtaga settlement, in Nkahchevan. Today we celebrate such holiday in Ganja. I can say that in various regions of Azerbaijan this work is already been carried out and in the near future the best conditions for making sports will be created in each region of Azerbaijan.

We are proud of the sportsmen. Each time, when is the national flag of Azerbaijan rises high, and sounds its state hymn, each patriot feels proud, and he is proud that the representative of his country that has gained victory, that his country has conquered.

I want to especially mention that state care of sports is also on a very high level. Mister President is personally and regularly interested in these questions, and instructs, assists the sportsmen, everyone, who is makes sports, specialists. Unless this care, attention, help and kind relation, we would not achieve these results.

Dear friends!
Dear youth!

I intimately congratulate you again with the opening of this fine sports complex. I want to express my confidence that youth that will have to train here, to compete, will always hold high the glory of Azerbaijan sports, will bring new and new victories to the Motherland. Thank you.

BAKU.13.09.2002. ÀzerÒÀj.