Baku: An expanded meeting of the Language Commission of the Azerbaijan Press Council is set to take place on January 9 at 3:00 p.m. at the Azerbaijan Press Council, as informed by the Press Council to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Language Commission was re-formed during the final meeting of the Press Council’s Board in 2025. The commission is chaired by Vusala Mahirgizi, CEO of APA Media Group, and includes notable members such as Aflatun Amashov, Editor-in-Chief of Khalg Gazeti; Gulu Maharramli, a professor at Baku State University; Akif Ashirli, Editor-in-Chief of Sharg newspaper; Elshan Aliyev, a member of the Council’s Audit and Inspection Commission and Editor-in-Chief of Vatan Sesi newspaper; and Seyfaddin Huseynli, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of 525-ji Gazet. Additionally, there is a plan to involve linguist scholars in the commission’s work.
President Ilham Aliyev has recently addressed issues concerning the mother tongue, emphasizing its significance as a core attribute of statehood. In his remarks at the 80th anniversary of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and a subsequent interview, he described the mother tongue as crucial alongside national symbols such as the flag, coat of arms, and anthem. He highlighted the adverse effects of historical deprivations on the nation’s thinking and stressed the need to counter these impacts by preserving the language.
The upcoming meeting will explore President Aliyev’s viewpoints with linguist scholars and specialists. The main objective is to develop an action plan to uphold the mother tongue within media practices, as stated by the Press Council.