Azerbaijan International

Spring 2001 (9.1)
Pages 15-16

Newsmakers
Young Movers and Shakers


Recipients of the ASA Youth Appreciation Awards: Left to right: Adil Baghirov, Javid Huseinov, Fariz Ismayilzade and Sanan Nasibli.

More than 200 Azerbaijanis and their guests attended this year's Novruz Party sponsored by the Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA), which took place on March 17 in Newark, New Jersey.
For the first time in its history, ASA presented Special Recognition Awards to four dynamic young Azerbaijanis - Adil Baguirov, Javid Huseinov, Fariz Ismailzade and Sanan Nasibli - for their work in actively promoting Azerbaijan in the United States. The awards were presented by ASA's President Mrs. Tomris Azeri.

"We chose four outstanding members of the young generation who have already distinguished themselves in promoting their motherland in the United States," said Tomris. "These youth are involved in moderating discussion lists, organizing news services and developing award-winning web pages about Azerbaijan. They provide valuable input into Internet debates and are actively involved in disseminating truthful information about Azerbaijan, which is so greatly needed."

Adil Baguirov, deserves credit for being the first person in Azerbaijan to create a substantial web site about his country. Adil was up and running in 1995 before many people in Azerbaijan were even familiar with Internet technology. See Virtual Azerbaijan (VAR) at http://www.travel.to/Azerbaijan.

Adil has also been a driving force in enabling the Azerbaijani community to be conscious and well-informed about major political and historical issues facing the nation, especially in regard to Nagorno-Karabakh. He is the founder and co-administrator of Habarlar-L, a daily news distribution list dedicated to Azerbaijan and the region. [Readers can subscribe at
habarlar-l-request@usc.edu].

In addition, he also founded and is co-administering Azerbaijani discussion lists, such as E-Majlis.

Adil graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1999 with degrees in Business Administration and International Relations. Currently he is involved in postgraduate research on the influence of the Internet in the globalization of international relations. He is employed in the energy sector and does e-business consulting. A talented writer, he has published on a variety of subjects in U.S., Russian and Azerbaijani publications including articles related to political analysis in Azerbaijan International. Contact Adil at: <
adil@azerimail.net>.

Javid Huseinov, 25, is a Ph.D. student and research / teaching assistant in computer science at the University of California - Irvine. He is an honors graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York with a master's degree in computer science (1999), a master's degree in engineering management (1998) and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering technology (1996).
Javid serves as a co-administrator for Habarlar and moderator for the E-MAJLIS list. He is also the creator and webmaster for ASA's website, <
www.azerbaijan-america.org>. Javid is currently working with Adil to develop a comprehensive Azerbaijani information portal at <www.azeris.com>.

Fariz Ismayilzade, 22, was one of the early FSA (Freedom Support Act) high school exchange students to study in the U.S. He spent his senior year in Oregon. He returned to Baku and graduated from Western University with one year interim study at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. This year Fariz received the prestigious Soros Graduate Scholarship and is studying for his master's degree in social and economic development at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

He has also worked as the Coordinator for Hayat's Resource Center for Refugees and Migrants. Hayat was the first major national humanitarian NGO to be established in Azerbaijan. He has frequently contributed analytical pieces to Azerbaijan International.

Fariz's Web site, <
www.angelfire.com/ct/fariz>, features information about Azerbaijan and the Karabakh War, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions on Karabakh. Contact Fariz at: <Fariz_1998@yahoo.com>.

Sanan Nasibli, 23, received an MBA last year from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and is currently employed in Boston in the financial services industry. He graduated from the Azerbaijan State Economic Institute (now University) with a major in international economic relations in 1998. He is one of the moderators for the online discussion list Azeri Students International, <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/azerisi>. In the future, he wants to help Azerbaijan develop its domestic securities market. Contact Sanan: <sanan_nasibli@excite.com>.

ASA is a non-profit organization that has been serving the Azeri-American community since its establishment in 1972 in Newark, New Jersey. Tomris explains, "Our fathers and grandfathers got together and collected money and bought a building, set up an office and hung out our flag."

ASA's primary goal is to foster relations between Azerbaijanis and Americans, preserve and strengthen the Azerbaijani culture and heritage, and to unify all Azeris.

_____
From
Azerbaijan International (9.1) Spring 2001.
© Azerbaijan International 2001. All rights reserved.

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