Norwegian

NHE helps miniority people groups through a Cultural Support grant scheme.

One of the aims of Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise (NHE) is to serve the weak and vulnerable in Azerbaijan. Among these are the minority people groups. And NHE is supporting the Udi people in the village of Nij in Gabala region through the Udi Cultural Support Grant Scheme. NHE works with several local Udi organizations. One of them is the Cultural Centre named “Orayin”, which means “Source”. The leader of Orayin, Oleg Danakari, is eager to help his people.

From a small office in the centre of Nij, Orayin organizes the celebration of special Udi holidays, supports an Udi folk music ensemble, give scholarships to poor students, support printing of books in Udi and about Udis, keeps in touch with the Diaspora in Georgia, Russia and other countries, takes initiative to the restoration of cultural monuments etc.

One of the new things Orayin is starting this year with support from NHE, is to organize history classes for young Udis.
   - It’s so important that future generations learn our people’s history and learn to be proud of being Udis. They need to learn our history,  Oleg says. The history lessons are about to start; many school children have signed up.

Help us to help the Udis keep their cultural identity and teaching their youth about their history and traditions!
 

Facts about the Udi people:
The Udi people is one of the indigenous minority people groups in Azerbaijan, and they see themselves as descendants of one of the Albanian tribes of the Caucasus-Albanian kingdom that existed in the area of today’s Azerbaijan from the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD. They are the only indigenous people group in Azerbaijan with a Christian identity. Today the Udis count about 2,300 people in Azerbaijan. Most of them live in the village Nij in Qabala region.