artamuzik in the summer, but there was not enough space in the tents for all of them, so some families and groups went to the school. "The school had been built with donations from the U.S., so the local residents decided to hold an evening prayer there every week," Oktay tells Al-Monitor. "There were young people there who played and sang." The local residents would organize dances in the evenings as well, using their own instruments. "They also decided to make a CD and perform at a large concert in Istanbul, to show they have a talent they could share with the world,” says Oktay. “They held a dance concert in Baku and a CD was released. They took the lyrics and music from the Bible and wrote some original music, which also includes English lyrics. The performers sang in Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian." Saklamazyan, a young woman who attended one of these evening performances, said, "I remember singing and dancing with other people from Gazakh and having a great time in the evenings. I would take my guitar and go out to sing. We would all sing together in groups. This is how we learned how to sing in harmony." Fidan Alganev, another former resident, said, "Sometimes the group used to listen to the radio and sing together. I'm very glad I took part in these kinds of events. Our Azerbaijani language was strong, and our songs were wonderful, and everyone would cry out of happiness. I was always there for such events, even though it made me late for work." The Gazakh community decided to gather together in order to celebrate May 9 as well, as it was the first time that people could meet in so many years. "The Gazakh community was very close to the U.S.,” said Oktay. “Everyone worked in Azerbaijan and visited the U.S. and other countries. You could even visit our city from Iran. Gazakh was a special place for our people, with our churches, schools and our own language. When I was in Gazakh I felt as if I were at home. I had such fun! Gazakh used to be alive; now it’s forgotten. However, when I saw all those children performing on May 9, I remembered how we used to meet at the school together. I thought it would be nice to gather once more and do a dance together. It had been a long time since we had any activities like these. So many people came together that day. We all got together to remember Gazakh." Isgandar Aliyev, another former resident, said, “I’m happy I could be there in the evening of May 9. You could see that so many people were coming together, and I was happy to take part in these events." The event brought many people from Gazakh back to the village and the cultural center, said Oktay. "When they returned, they said they never thought that we would make this kind of progress. A few of them told me they were surprised to see so many people there, and that it was great that I was there to show them. I’m so happy to be able to show them all this." Oktay said the May 9 evening was meant to be an event organized by the residents and members of the church in Kulanli and not an official program. He said they never expected such a high turnout for the celebration, but it brought people closer together. "I’m still sad that most people have forgotten the town of Gazakh. It’s unfortunate that Gazakh is no longer a living place. But we could at least get together to commemorate May 9 and remember our relatives and friends," said Oktay. "I would like to thank everyone who came to the commemoration as it brought us back together, which shows that we can get back together once more." Gazakh's most famous son, Samad Vurgun, wrote in his book "Azerbaijanis: A Short History" that Gazakh "boasts a number of well-known men of letters, the well-known philosopher Nizami Kaidar and a number of poets, who were the leaders of different trends and schools of thought at the beginning of the 20th century." The book continues, "In addition, some writers, writers and poets of the second half of the 19th century also showed their literary talent there. In particular, among them were Talaat bey Ziyadkhanov, Hasan bey Zardabi, Jalil Mammadguluzade, Hajibey Ahmed bey Ibrahimbeyov and so forth." The celebration attracted many outsiders as well as Gazakh residents. The event was attended by Azerbaijanis living in Baku and Bursa, and former members of the community who had been away from Gazakh for many years came back. "This was something very special and emotional," said Saklamazyan. "It makes me so happy that such things still exist. May 9 has never passed so quietly for a long time. I'm pleased to have been able to participate in this ceremony." Many of the younger residents of the town attended the evening event as well. It was there that they decided to host a similar event in July in Kulanli with the support of Azerbaijanis living abroad. During the day, participants participated in a concert held by the Gazakh youth choir. The choir members sang songs from the village, including "May God Bless Your Face," "Oh, My Fatherland" and "Letters." In November 2014, Khorasan Azeri, a Russian musical group that promotes the use of the Azerbaijani language, came to town and did a live performance. "A new generation of people from Gazakh is growing, and it is interesting that they have also found themselves and their talents," said Azerbayeva. "I see that the young people have also gained more confidence and become more independent in their relationships with each other." Residents told Al-Monitor that such events have helped Gazakh grow stronger. "They are important as a symbol of the city of Gazakh, showing our history," said Azerbayeva. "With these kinds of events, our community still exists, though it is very small. And we always want to hear more about this and see more activity. We also want to see events promoting our language in the future." Azerbayeva said, "Our music is a part of our traditions, but today our language is threatened by the use of Arabic. But we try to teach our children the language." As a result of the May 9 event in Kulanli, Oktay said, he hopes to organize similar events in other Azerbaijani-speaking communities in Turkey. He said this was the first time that the local Gazakh residents could do such a thing. "Each region has its own spirit, but everyone has been affected by the war in Iraq and Syria," he said. "We think Gazakh should be a tourist destination for people who love Azerbaijani music," said Oktay. "Maybe we can convince the central government to build a center for tourist services for people who want to learn about our country and our history." He added, "Gazakh and our language still have the potential to create peace and peace and unite people. I hope that I will always be able to bring that about. I want my children and grandchildren to continue doing such events in the future." Azerbayeva says that the people of Gazakh are very fortunate that she has done a great deal in her career, as she has been able to fulfill her dreams of bringing joy to the village and its people. "Gazakh is part of me," she said. "And when I'm older, my grandchildren will take my place."