Download - Azerbaijan and Peace Corps
The logic of the Peace Corps is that someday we are going to bring it home to America.
-President John F. Kennedy
LAND OF FIREAZERBAIJAN
Where is it?
Demographics and Other Facts Population about
9.5 million with 2 million living in the capital, Baku
About 52% urban, 48% rural
Majority Turkic ethnicity and Shia Muslim
Blue - Turkic heritage Red - Modernization
and progress Green - Islam Crescent Moon -
symbol of Islam 8-pointed Star - 8
Turkic people of the world
>10 million cell phones (2011)
About 2.4 million internet users (2009)
37 airports 52,942 km roads 2,918 km railways
Ancient History Gobustan – A World Heritage Site Earliest evidence of a thriving culture
with petro glyphs dating back to 10,000 B.C.
Zoroastrianism Ancient, pre-Islamic
religion of Persia Founded by the Persian
prophet Zarathustra in 6th century B.C.
Concept of ethical monotheism, afterlife, heaven, hell, angels, and a messiah
Fire represents purification
Time of Empire Incorporated into various empires including Persian,
Alexander the Great’s, Romans, Arabs 7th-11th century (brought Islam), Turks (brought cultural identity), and finally Russians
20th Century After WWI and the collapse
of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijan joined the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic and later became it’s own republic in May 1918
1st modern parliamentary republic in the Muslim world
Accomplished women’s suffrage, equal political rights between men and women, and established Baku State University BUT…
Republic lasted just under 2 years with the Soviet Russian invasion
Azerbaijan is strategically located on the Caspian Sea and is rich in oil reserves
Fought with the Soviets during WWII After the collapse of the Soviet Union,
Azerbaijan again declared independence and became a republic in 1991
Unresolved Problems Ethnic strife in Nagorno-Karabakh
region between Azerbaijan and Armenia Secondary public education is still based
on the old Soviet model and suffers from corruption and low-quality teachers
Political corruption, election fraud, bribery
Natural Resources Very rich in oil and natural gas
At the turn of the 20th century, Azerbaijan accounted for half the world’s oil production
Fishing from the Caspian sea and iron ore
Agriculture Major crops include pomegranates,
apples, grapes, cherries, grain, tea, cotton, tobacco, vegetables, dairy, and wine
Livestock include cows, sheep, horses, pigs, and goats
HolidaysRamadan
9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar Fasting from dawn until sunset Refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and
swearing Purpose – to practice self-control and be
closer to Allah, be thankful, and to practice charity
Gurban Bayrami Festival of Sacrifice
Celebrated 70 days after the end of Ramadan and lasts for 4 days
Sacrifice a domestic animal, usually a sheep, in remembrance of the story of Abraham and his son Ismail
Meat is distributed to the poor
Novruz Origin traces back to the Zoroastrians Celebrates the coming of Spring Preparations begin 1 month prior with
each of the forthcoming 4 weeks devoted to 1 of 4 elements – water, wind, earth, and fire
Novruz Customs
House cleaning Make or buy new clothes Paint eggs Make national meals and
sweets like sekerbura and baklava
Every Tuesday bonfires are made and people jump over them to get rid of impurities and bad luck
Last Tuesday before Novruz kids knock on doors and leave their hats or baskets and wait for candies or pastries
Table is set with khoncha (silver or copper tray) filled with wheat, candles, dyed eggs
National Meals and Drinks
Bread is considered holy
Rice-based dishPLOV
Pasta-based dish with seasoned meat and served with yogurt
XENGEL
Grape-leaf, cabbage, and 3 sisters dolma filled with rice, minced meat, onion, herbs like dill, parsley, and mint and served with yogurt
DOLMA
Hot, Black Tea, Duses, and Terxun
People and Culture Guesting!!!!!! Take off shoes before entering the house Smiling to strangers is considered strange People often wear dark colored clothes,
especially older men, but is slowly changing with younger generation
People don’t wear shorts, especially boys
Teahouses are ubiquitousMostly men go here to chat, drink tea, play
nerd or domino
Wedding palaces are ubiquitous Very high marriage rateWeddings are elaborate and large with 300
or more guests as the norm
Traditional Music
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
-President John F. Kennedy
PEACE CORPS
3 Goals of Peace Corps1. Helping the people of interested
countries in meeting their need for trained people
2. Helping to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served
3. Helping to promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans
Mission To promote world peace and friendship
and to achieve a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries
Peace Corps Facts JFK established PC by executive order
on March 1st, 1961 More than 210,000 Americans have
served in 139 countries Today, >8,000 volunteers are serving in
76 countries in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health, and youth development
Who Are We? 62% female, 38% male 93% single, 7% married Average age: 28 Over 50: 7%
Where Are We? Africa 43% Latin America 21% Eastern Europe/Central Asia 15% Asia 10% Caribbean 4% North Africa/Middle East 4% Pacific Islands 3%
What Do We Do? Education 43% Health 21% Community Economic Development
12% Environment 12% Youth Development 6% Agriculture 4% Other 2%
International Resource EXchange
For more information and how to apply, go to: www.peacecorps.gov
Must be 18 years old and a US citizen to apply