Elmira Gafarova facts for kids

Elmira Gafarova was an important Azerbaijani politician and diplomat. She was born on March 1, 1934, and passed away on August 1, 1993. She held several high-ranking positions in Azerbaijan during her career. These roles included being a minister and a speaker of the parliament.

Early Life and Education

Elmira Gafarova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, on March 1, 1934. After finishing high school in 1952, she went to Azerbaijan State University in 1953. She studied Philology, which is the study of language in written historical sources. She earned her degree in 1958.

She continued her studies and received her PhD in Philology in 1961. While at university, she was involved in the Komsomol. This was a youth organization in the Soviet Union. In 1958, she also joined the Azerbaijan Communist Party. From 1966 to 1970, she was the first secretary of the Azerbaijani Komsomol organization.

Political Career Highlights

Elmira Gafarova began her political career in the 1970s. From 1970 to 1971, she worked in the Department of Culture for the Azerbaijan Communist Party. She then served as the Secretary of the Party Committee in Baku from 1971 to 1980.

In 1980, she became the Minister of Education for the Azerbaijan SSR. She held this position until 1983. After that, from 1983 to 1987, she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Azerbaijan. During this time, she attended UN General Assembly meetings. She spoke about important issues like racism and discrimination.

From 1987 to 1991, Gafarova was the Speaker of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR. This was like being the head of the parliament. She also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan SSR from 1987 to 1989.

Key Achievements as Speaker

As the speaker of parliament, Elmira Gafarova helped make several important changes.

• On December 30, 1989, she played a big part in bringing back the historic name of Ganja city.
• On March 13, 1990, she helped make the Nowruz holiday an official public holiday across Azerbaijan.
• She is also known for helping pass a law on October 18, 1991, that led to the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence.
• She also helped Azerbaijan join the United Nations on March 2, 1992.

Role During Black January

Elmira Gafarova was one of the first leaders to speak out after the events of Black January in January 1990. This was a difficult time when many civilians were harmed in Baku. She quickly called an emergency meeting of the Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet. During this meeting, she strongly spoke against the actions that led to the harm of civilians.

The parliament, with 160 deputies, released a statement condemning the events. They appealed to other parliaments and the United Nations. They highlighted the importance of protecting civilians, following international agreements like the Geneva Conventions.

Awards and Legacy

Elmira Gafarova received several awards and medals from the USSR during her career. She was honored with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and the Order of Honor.

Elmira Gafarova passed away on August 1, 1993, in Baku, Azerbaijan. She was laid to rest in the Alley of Honor, a special burial place for important figures.

See also

In Spanish: Elmira Gafarova para niños

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan