I remember that day very well. It was 1988, I was 14 years old, I was studying in the 7th grade, and I was in the 4th hour of sports class at school No. 4 named after Nizami Ganjavi in the city of Khankendi (at that time Stepanakert).

My brother, who is two years younger than me, called me out of the gymnasium and said that when he got off the bus and came to class, he saw a rally being held in the main square of the city. The bus stop was next to the square, where we would get off the bus, cross the square, and come to school. When he came to class for the second time, he saw the square full of wild people, foaming at the mouth. When I received the news from my brother, the first thing I remembered was the date of the month - February 13. In the language of that time, it is not November 7, when the Great October Social Revolution is celebrated, but May 1, which is the Solidarity holiday of the World Workers, so why did these people gather in the square? On November 7 and May 1, I participated several times in the demonstration and parade held in that square with the staff of our school. But today was not one of those days.

This is how the Garabagh issue started for me - with the news brought by my brother.

A lot happened after that. As individuals, as a family, as a nation, we lived days that cannot fit into books. But now is not the time to talk about them.

What needs to be discussed is the return of a 14-year-old boy to Khankendi, which he was forced to leave after 35 years as Stepanakert.

Khankendi was a devil's den. The city was not big, but the plans drawn here against Azerbaijan were big. From my native village to the occupation of our big regions and cities, all plans were prepared here. The scenario of the Khojaly genocide was written here. Therefore, ensuring Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Khankendi and destroying the separatist devil's nest is an extraordinary event from various aspects.

***

Khankendi was a Soviet city. Many buildings built in the Soviet-style keep the city in the guise of the USSR. The Soviets adapted everything in this city to the name of the Bolshevik-Dashnak Stepan Shaumyan. The city was also named after him, a statue of him was placed in the center of the city, and schools, the central stadium, and other important places were also named after him. With the support of Moscow, and the leadership of the USSR, Armenia never allowed this place to become the city of Azerbaijan.

***

When I passed Agdam and reached Askeran, I started having strange feelings. It seems that he is more familiar to me than Askaran. It's hard to explain. You want to find something familiar along the way - a house, a road, a tree, a bush - something familiar from 35 years ago. When you see Askeran Castle, memories dissolve, it is very familiar, but it has not changed. There is a step between Askeran and Khojaly. You left the army, you are in Khojaly. The bridge in Khojaly remained the same. As a child, I used to like it when the car crossed this bridge. I felt the same.

***

Khojaly... You pass there in horror. When you think about the genocide experienced by the residents of Khojaly and the souls of the victims of the genocide, you realize once again how great and precious our Victory is. At least because Khojaly was avenged...

***

After Khojaly is Khankendi. We reach the entrance of the city. The traffic police station is in the same place as it was 35 years ago, but the building has changed. They also took the statue of the key in the circle at the entrance of the city.

Before the occupation, the place where the traffic police station was was called "Shirin Yani". It seems that a lion statue was first placed there, and then it was removed, so the name of the place remained the same. But I have not seen that statue, these things happened before me.

***

We enter the city. On the right side, on top of the hill, there are the famous "Biz and Bizim mountains", which Armenians call "papik-mamik" and the famous "Biz and Bizim mountains", which they call "papik-mamik". That's why I say disgusting that "papik-mamik" depicting an old Armenian wife and a man is very ugly. We have seen that when a person gets old, light comes to his face, and light falls from his face. It is the exact opposite of the old men in this monument. This is how Armenians become when they grow old - like in the monument, their inner ugliness comes out on their faces. From that point of view, the author of the monument cannot be blamed.

Someone from the bus says "This monument is small, but it looks big in photos and videos." He is right. I knew that monument was not big because I had seen it. It was the symbol of separatism and occupation that made it bigger in our eyes. Now there is no separatism, there is no occupation, and the "magnificence" of the monument that is its symbol... All of them have been garbage.

***

Little is left of our building, which we had to leave 35 years ago. I remember exactly, the five-story buildings on the left side of the road when going towards the city. We passed it. Although I did not have the opportunity to go down, I recognized our building. The brightest memory I have about our house in Khankendi is that during the summer, a mobile cinema studio showed us cartoons on the white wall of our building (like a movie screen) in our yard.

***

We move along the main street of the city, among the familiar buildings we pass is the building of the former Stepakent Pedagogical Institute named after the 60th anniversary of the former USSR. But the mystery of the building has changed.

Soon after, we reach the place that turned February 13 into black history - the square where the former Nagorno-Garabagh Autonomous Province Party Committee - "Obkom" is located. The square where the Armenians, who poisoned both their lives and ours for 35 years, poured out their poison "Miatsum" (Armenian for "Unification". Armenians chanted this slogan demanding the unification of Garabagh with Armenia).

***

When I got off the bus, I thought I was dreaming, I am 14 years old, so I got off the bus route number 4, crossed the square, and went to school. It's an incredible feeling. I was very impressed.

The building of "Obkom" has not changed at all, it is the same as it was 35 years ago, or so it seemed to me. The surrounding buildings have changed and new ones have been built. I look, I watch, I go back 35 years, I think about what we experienced in 35 years...

***

I am at the top of the stairs to our favorite school, the city stadium. Right and left have changed a lot, trees have been cut down, and buildings have been built in their place.

It is in the parking lot on the right. When our class was free, we would walk in the park, eat ice cream, and ride attractions. We love it here.

When I went down the stairs and reached the stadium, what else could come to my mind but to go to our school, since there was still a long time before the start of the game? When I looked up to our upper school, I saw that these places have changed a lot. New buildings have been built, the environment has changed, the terrain is different, and there are no old roads. I was confused for a moment. I should have reached our school, but there is no school, I can't find it.

***

Residents of Khankendi, teachers, and students of our school probably remember the road leading up to the square from the school to the building of the "Obkom". I am standing on that road, looking in the direction where the school should be located, but it is not there. There are other new buildings, but the school is not visible.

How can it be? Maybe they dismantled it, maybe I came wrong. Frankly, I'm a little worried about not being able to find the school. I look around, wring my memory, bringing to mind what I saw 35 years ago. I am trying to remember the location of the school building, its courtyard, the fountain in its courtyard, and the school's football and volleyball fields. Everything is fine where I stand, but there is no school. My hope is completely disappointed. When I wanted to go back, I saw the small stairs. I went down those stairs and...

***

I went in front of the school. Don't tell me, I've been going around the school looking for him for a long time. I didn't recognize it, it has changed a lot. There is no trace of the previous school building. The facade and roof were renewed, parts of the gymnasium, dining room, and workshop were dismantled, and the location of the main entrance door was changed. I hardly recognized it, I didn't imagine it, as if I was standing face to face with another building. I wouldn't have been able to find it if I hadn't gone out to his yard. The spring in the yard was also in place, with spring water... They changed its structure.

I loved our school very much, it was very friendly. Although I studied there for a short time - 2 and a half years, the mark he left is lifelong. My first visit to this school in the 5th grade, my school days, my teachers, my classmates... I can share a lot about our school, but let it be. Maybe someday...

***

I have to go to the stadium. After 35 years, there will be a historic game at Khankendi City Stadium. I forgot to say earlier, actually, that's why I came to Khankendi. Many people come here. The architect of the victory - Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, the families of the martyrs, children, veterans, well-known and unknown people... There are many people. Samir Alakbarov, who was a player of Khankendi's "Qarabagh" team and "Neftchi", is also here. 37 years ago - in 1986, I watched his game in the stadium as a member of "Garabagh". Alekbarov was the only Azerbaijani in this team, almost all of whose players were Armenian. That's why we would be a special fan of him.

I also have a memory about the Khankendi stadium - "Neftchi"'s friendly match with "Qarabagh" in this stadium. I watched that game too. "Neftchi" won 6:0.

***

Now it is December 21, 2023. "Qarabagh" meets MOIK. Everyone is happy, congratulating and hugging each other. Poetry, singing... We are in a real festive mood. Everyone here is sincere, everyone's joy comes from the heart. And it seems to me that I am the most happy of all. I could be wrong, but I honestly think so. Because one of my biggest dreams was to return to the city of my childhood and see it.

It's game over, it doesn't matter to anyone. For me too... It's the venue where the main game takes place. The main thing is the return of Khankendi to Azerbaijan, our return to Khankendi. I said above that Khankendi was never allowed to become a city of Azerbaijan. I am a living witness. During the Soviet period, it was impossible to find even a single inscription in the Azerbaijani language on the streets of this city, only in Russian and Armenian... Khankendi was legally an Azerbaijani city, but it was not. The Armenians also wanted to turn this fact into a legal one, and in the end, they ate the Iron Fist. Look, now Khankendi is a real Azerbaijani city - both factually and legally. Our grandfather Khan's village has already been entrusted to his children.

***

I couldn't visit other parts of my hometown because of the limited travel time - but I went to our school and the stadium, and yes, I passed in front of our building, and on our street twice - on my way to and from the city.

We came back along the Khojaly-Asgaran-Aghdam road. When one thinks about what this road has witnessed, one is horrified. From 1988 to September 19-20, 2023, Armenians did not commit atrocities, did not shed blood, and did not experience any tragedies in our villages and cities located along this road. There is no second nation so bloodthirsty, treacherous, traitorous, shameless. It is not possible. No one can convince me that this is not the case.

Long live our Victory!!!