HBSCA Women's Club organized a potluck picnic on Saturday, October 18, 2008 to celebrate Azerbaijan's 17th anniversary of independence. With 80 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity it was a perfect Houston fall day for an outside, informal gathering of the Houston-Baku community to meet old and new friends while enjoying delicious traditional snacks and pastries and real American oversized pizza, tea from real smoking samovars, a game of backgammon and of course the Azeri music in the background. Special thanks goes to the director of the HBSCA Women's Club Kamilla Javanshir for organizing this event. The picnic that was attended by over 60 people took place at Cullen Park, 19008 Saums Rd, 77084.
HBSCA takes part in Energy Security/Azeri Diaspora Conference
HBSCA President Irada Akhoundova and Vice President Saida Fagala attended the US Azeri Network (USAN) conference held at the George Washington University on October 1-2, 2008.
The main topic of the conference was to review and discuss the role of
Energy Security and the Diaspora in the Development of US-Azerbaijan
Strategic Allied Relations.
Sister Cities Concert date is moved to October 23, 2008
Because of hurricane Ike Sister Cities September Concert is rescheduled for October 23, 2008, 7-8 pm at Houston Baptist University, Belin Chapel (Morris Center), 7502 Fondren Road, Houston 77074. Admission is complimentary, reception will follow. See the attached flyer for more information.
On October 9, 2008 HBSCA members attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Raindrop Turkish House organization. At the event Harris County Judge, the honorable Edward M. Emmett spoke about the preparations of hurricane relief in Harris County as well as about lessons learned from the recent emergency response in the region to hurricane Ike.
Delegates of HBSCA attended a breakfast meeting with Hon. Charles Foster
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - delegates of HBSCA attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Raindrop Turkish House where key note speaker Hon. Charles Foster, Consul General of Thailand gave a speech about U.S. Immigration Policy and the Need for Reform Now. In his speech, Charles Foster shared a brief history of US Immigration law and highlighted the most important points of the current immigration problems with an estimated 12,000,000 undocumented workers in the US and how these issues should be addressed with rationale and structured policy. Charles C. Foster currently serves as the chairman of the Partnership's Immigration Task Force. He heads up Tindall & Foster’s immigration law practice group. A founding member of his firm, Foster has been recognized in Texas Monthly and Texas Lawyer as one of Texas' top lawyers.
Houstonian families visiting the new Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center at 7008 S. Rice Ave can now see a special Azerbaijan tile on the pool wall marking the relationship between Houston and Baku as Sister Cities.
The decorative tile which has been designed by US/Azerbaijani artist Saida Fagala was inserted in a colorful tile wall placed near the pool in an aquatic park featuring a big play area for families with water slides and waterfalls. The idea to place the Azerbaijan/Baku tile into the wall was conceived during the visit of a delegation from Azerbaijan graciously hosted by the city of Bellaire upon invitation of the Open World Program leaders in May 2007.
HBSCA celebrates 90th Anniversary of Azerbaijan's Independence
The evening of May 28, 2008, the Houston-Baku Sister City Association hosted a reception at the Houston City Hall to celebrate Azerbaijan's 90 years of Independence.
The celebration was attended by more than 100 guests, including Mr. Atilla Uzer, Ambassador of Turkey and Mr. Ali Findik, Turkish Consul, as well as members of other Houston-based consulates and the City officials, representatives of Houston's business, cultural, educational, non-profit and Azeri communities. During the evening the guests had an opportunity to learn about Azerbaijan, meet old friends, make new friends and enjoy the typical Azerbaijani cuisine and hospitality.
Houston-Baku Sister Cities Association represented Baku/Azerbaijan at the Houston International Festival (iFest-2008), which took place during the weekends of April 19-20 and April 26-27 in Downtown Houston. This year, Azerbaijan was represented by two young dancers, 8 and 9-graders, Maya Aliyeva and Togrul Sharifov (students of Sabina Gasimova from School of Choreography). Their performances were on Saturday, April 26 at 12 noon and 6.30 pm and on Sunday, April 27 at 12 noon.
The Azerbaijan booth was open on Saturdays from 12 noon to 4 pm, and on Sundays from 4 to 8 pm.
HBSCA Women's Club organized a potluck picnic on Saturday, October 18, 2008 to celebrate Azerbaijan's 17th anniversary of independence. With 80 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity it was a perfect Houston fall day for an outside, informal gathering of the Houston-Baku community to meet old and new friends while enjoying delicious traditional snacks and pastries and real American oversized pizza, tea from real smoking samovars, a game of backgammon and of course the Azeri music in the background. Special thanks goes to the director of the HBSCA Women's Club Kamilla Javanshir for organizing this event. The picnic that was attended by over 60 people took place at Cullen Park, 19008 Saums Rd, 77084.
HBSCA President Irada Akhoundova and Vice President Saida Fagala attended the US Azeri Network (USAN) conference held at the George Washington University on October 1-2, 2008.
Because of hurricane Ike Sister Cities September Concert is rescheduled for October 23, 2008, 7-8 pm at Houston Baptist University, Belin Chapel (Morris Center), 7502 Fondren Road, Houston 77074. Admission is complimentary, reception will follow. See the attached flyer for more information.
On October 9, 2008 HBSCA members attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Raindrop Turkish House organization. At the event Harris County Judge, the honorable Edward M. Emmett spoke about the preparations of hurricane relief in Harris County as well as about lessons learned from the recent emergency response in the region to hurricane Ike.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - delegates of HBSCA attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Raindrop Turkish House where key note speaker Hon. Charles Foster, Consul General of Thailand gave a speech about U.S. Immigration Policy and the Need for Reform Now. In his speech, Charles Foster shared a brief history of US Immigration law and highlighted the most important points of the current immigration problems with an estimated 12,000,000 undocumented workers in the US and how these issues should be addressed with rationale and structured policy. Charles C. Foster currently serves as the chairman of the Partnership's Immigration Task Force. He heads up Tindall & Foster’s immigration law practice group. A founding member of his firm, Foster has been recognized in Texas Monthly and Texas Lawyer as one of Texas' top lawyers. 
Houstonian families visiting the new Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center at 7008 S. Rice Ave can now see a special Azerbaijan tile on the pool wall marking the relationship between Houston and Baku as Sister Cities. 
The evening of May 28, 2008, the Houston-Baku Sister City Association hosted a reception at the Houston City Hall to celebrate Azerbaijan's 90 years of Independence. 
Houston-Baku Sister Cities Association represented Baku/Azerbaijan at the Houston International Festival (iFest-2008), which took place during the weekends of April 19-20 and April 26-27 in Downtown Houston. This year, Azerbaijan was represented by two young dancers, 8 and 9-graders, Maya Aliyeva and Togrul Sharifov (students of Sabina Gasimova from School of Choreography). Their performances were on Saturday, April 26 at 12 noon and 6.30 pm and on Sunday, April 27 at 12 noon. 
