The 5th international scientific conference, titled “Acts of Genocides against Turkic-Muslim Nations in the 20th Century”, kicked off in Azerbaijan’s Gusar district on April 26, APA reports.

The conference is taking place under President Ilham Aliyev’s order on marking the centenary of the 1918 Genocide of Azerbaijanis.

The conference was organized jointly by the Presidium of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), the ANAS Institute of History named after Bakikhanov, Ataturk Culture, Language and History Department at Ataturk Research Center under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan and the Gusar Executive Authority.

Prior to the conference, the participants visited a monument to national leader Heydar Aliyev and a memorial to the ‘Bloody valley’ heroes.

The conference was also joined by representatives of Turkey, Russia, Poland, Albania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India and Iraq.

The Azerbaijani President's Assistance for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov read out President Ilham Aliyev's message to the conference participants.

Head of the Gusar District Executive Authority Shair Alkhasov spoke about the tragic events that happened throughout the history of Azerbaijan.

The conference will last 3 days.