Factsheet on the Roma Genocide in Belarus
Recognition of the Roma Genocide
Recognition, official texts
In Azerbaijan, the Holocaust is recognised as such but there is no information whether the Roma are recognised or not as victims of the Genocide.
Data (camps locations, Remembrance places, measures etc.)
Azerbaijan observes 27th January as the “Day of the Victims of the Holocaust Genocide”.
The day was chosen to coincide with the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. Holocaust victims are also commemorated during the events held on the anniversary of the victory over fascism, celebrated each year on 9th May.
In particular, the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the Work with Religious Organisations participates each 27th January in meetings organised by Jewish communities to commemorate the Holocaust. The State Committee for the Work with Religious Organisations recommends to religious communities in Azerbaijan that they provide the public with information about national genocide days, hold commemorative ceremonies and recognize the Holocaust in their religious services. The day has been commemorated every year since the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence.
Specialised institution, commission, research centre etc., dealing with this issue
There is no specialised institution or research centre dealing only with the issue of the Genocide of the Roma.
Official initiatives (campaigns, actions, projects, commemoration days, museums)
In Azerbaijan there is no special commemoration day of the Roma Genocide.
Each year, in connection with the Holocaust Memorial Day, the “Alley of Martyrs” in Baku is the site of visits. Meetings, roundtables, conferences and other gatherings are organised in various State, public and private institutions, in both Muslim and other communities. In some instances, commemoration of Holocaust victims is held concurrently with remembrance of victims of other events and tragedies occurring in Azerbaijan in the twentieth century.
On 17th October 2012, an International Symposium was held in Baku on “The Role of Azerbaijan in Preventing Holocaust in the Caucasus during the Second World War”. The government also encourages non-governmental organizations to conduct events to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day in Azerbaijan. One example of an unofficial event to commemorate the Holocaust was a meeting organized between the Baku Office of the United Nations and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, which took place on 28 January 2008.
State secondary schools and institutions of higher education are involved in commemoration activities.
Remembrance day
In Azerbaijan, there is no special commemoration day of the Roma Genocide. However, 27th January is observed as the “Day of the Victims of the Holocaust Genocide”.
In Azerbaijan, the Holocaust is recognised as such but there is no information whether the Roma are recognised or not as victims of the Genocide.
Teaching about the Roma Genocide
Inclusion of the topic in the school curriculum
The Roma Genocide is not included in the school curriculum. In its response to the ODIHR's request for information, the Ministry of Education reported that Holocaust education is not currently reflected in the national school curriculum.
Information was provided by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
However, in the two state-funded Jewish schools, Xabad Or-Avner and School No. 46, there are special courses on the subject at both primary and secondary levels. These schools also commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day through theatrical exhibitions and poetry devoted to the Holocaust.
Inclusion of the topic in the school textbooks
Holocaust education is currently not included in the school textbooks.
However, the Service of the State Counsellor of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Multiculturalism, Interethnic and Religious Affairs has prepared two university courses that cover the subject of the Jews in Azerbaijan, including an undergraduate-level course on “Introduction to Multiculturalism”, and a postgraduate-level course on “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism”. These courses will be implemented in most universities in Azerbaijan from early 2015. (See OSCE report: “Holocaust Memorial Days: An overview of remembrance and education in the OSCE region”, page 18).
Training of teachers and education professionals
There is no information available whether teacher trainings have been organised so far.
Holocaust education and remembrance were the main topics of a five-day study visit of Azerbaijani officials to the Netherlands, organized by OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku, in co-operation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, which took place from 15 to 20 December 2014. The Azerbaijani delegation consisted of eight representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.
Particular activities undertaken at the level of education institutions
State secondary schools and institutions of higher education are involved in commemoration activities on 27th January and 9th May.
Initiatives of the civil society
Numerous seminars, exhibitions and documentary films are devoted to the theme of the Holocaust.
On 27th January 2012, the United Nations Department of Public Information in Azerbaijan, together with the Embassy of Israel, organised an event that included an exhibition and a film.
Educational material
UN DPI office Baku provides teachers with "One Survivor Remembers" - 40 minute Academy Award-winning documentary film by Kary Antholis which emphasises the universal lessons that the survivors will pass on to succeeding generations.
Information material
Since the 2010 observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust focused on a central theme: "The Legacy of Survival", during the main part of the event the audience, consisting of eminent Azerbaijani teachers and professors as well as enthusiastic Azeri youth, watched the film: "One Survivor Remembers" - 40 minute Academy Award-winning documentary film by Kary Antholis which emphasises the universal lessons that the survivors will pass on to succeeding generations.
27th January 2014 marked the International Day for the Commemoration in memory of victims of the Holocaust. To mark the Day, UN Office Baku screened “Blinky and Me”, a documentary film about the life of Yoram Gross, a Polish Holocaust survivor. The team also set up an exhibition of pictures painted and designed by students to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust at the 28 cinemas in Baku.
Scientific publications
BOURTMAN, Ilya: “Israel and Azerbaijan’s Furtive Embrace” Middle East Quarterly, summer 2006
BOURTMAN, Ilya: "Blood for Blood, Death for Death!: History, Mechanism and Portrayal of Soviet Investigations and Military Tribunals (1943–1946)”, senior thesis, received the 2005 Arthur Kouguell Memorial Prize at the Johns Hopkins University
“Aladdin Project” is a project focusing on the teaching about the Holocaust and building bridges of knowledge between Jews and Muslims, supported by UNESCO.
Teaching about the Holocaust conference is planned to take place in Baku during the course of 2015.
Multimedia material
2014: “Objective Baku - How Hitler Lost the Battle for Oil”, National Geographic, written and directed by Robert Mugnerot, produced by Baku Media Centre
The film commemorates the Victory over Nazism during World War Two and pays tribute to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani people who contributed to The Great Victory.