The International Mugham Centre has hosted an official award ceremony for winners of the 2nd National Television Festival of Sports Films and Programs, established by the National Olympic Committee (NOC), Azernews reports.

At the event, Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade, General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee Azer Aliyev, the chairman of the festival's jury Zemfira Meftakhetdinova, chairman of the Judo Club 2012 Public Union, President of the Association of Azerbaijan Judo Veterans, the winner of the world and European championships among master judokas Azer Asgarov, member of the Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, members of the NOC Executive Committee and the jury of the festival, Olympic champions, heads of sports federations and television channels, well-known athletes, and public figures participated in the awarding ceremony.

NOC Vice President Chingiz Huseynzade, who spoke at the ceremony, greeted the guests and stressed the importance of the festival. He pointed out that the National Television Festival of Sports Films and Programs dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the National Olympic Committee was established in 2022 for the first time.

"When we organised the festival for the first time, we did not know whether this festival would continue in the future or not. Today, the numbers were announced. If 40 videos were presented at the first festival, 58 videos were presented at this festival. This means that the festival is alive, and we have gathered for its conclusion. This festival is of great importance for the promotion of sports in Azerbaijan. I have a wish that, after some time, we will bring this festival to an international level. I am sure that we will achieve this. I congratulate the winners of the festival and wish them success in their future activities," he said.

The winners in various categories of the festival were awarded cash prizes provided by the festival partner - the Azerbaijani Cinematographers' Union.

The winner of the "Advertising and Promo reels" nomination was the "Shine like a Star" commercial presented by the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation.

The Azerbaijan Judo Federation's (ACF) promotional video "Future of Our Judo" won in the "Future Winners" category.

ACF achieved another success at the festival in the nomination "Gentle Hero" - with the promotional video "White Suits Girls".

Idman TV's TV movie "Unknown Man Zuleykha Hajiyeva" took first place in the "For Life - Sports" nomination.

The documentary film "Victory is Just Faith," screened by the "90plus" media organisation, won the "Strong-willed" nomination by the Jury.

Special awards from the organising committee of the festival were also presented at the ceremony.

The "Kickboxing" documentary (Sports TV) and the "Kids Athletics" promotional video (Azerbaijan Athletics Federation) were distinguished in the "Future winners" category. "12 seconds" (Azerbaijan Shooting Federation) and "March 8 - International Women's Day" (Azerbaijan Judo Federation) promotional videos were awarded a special award in the category of advertising and promo video. "Znay nashik" television movie (Azerbaijan National Representation of MIR Interstate Television Company) in the strong-willed nomination, Miraga Aliyev's short film "Golden glove - Agajan Abiyev" in the "For Life - Sports" nomination, "Delicate Mission" television movie ("Idman TV ») won the sympathy of the jury in the "Gentle Hero" nomination.

Special awards of Judo Club 2012 Public Union were also presented at the event.

"Strong-willed" television movie "Fateh" (Idman TV), "Contribution of the Great Leader to Azerbaijani sports" television movie (CBC International), "Gentle Hero" television project "Happy Mornings - Shusha Children's Youth Sports School" in the nomination "Strong-willed" (Khazar Media Center), "We are strong together" commercial (DMS Azerbaijan LLC) in the "Advertising and promo reel" nomination, "Veteran judoka - Farhad Rajabli" in the "For Life - Sports" nomination, promotional reel (MIR Interstate Television and Radio Company Azerbaijan National Representation) was awarded a special award.

During the event, the participants who were awarded special prizes of the National Olympic Committee were also honored.

Thus, in the "Strong-willed" nomination, "Towards Olympus" - Nikita Simonov's short film (ARB 24) and the television film "Sports Masters" (Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Television and Radio Broadcasting Closed Joint Stock Company), in the "Future Winners" nomination, "Heavy in Lankaran" athletic lessons" promotional video (Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation), "Rowing from Karabakh to the capital" promotional video (Azerbaijan Canoe and Rowing Federation) in the "Advertising and Promo video" nomination (Azerbaijan Canoe and Rowing Federation), "The Way of Perfection" documentary film in the "For Life - Sports" nomination (Azerbaijan Judo Federation ), promotional video "Push - Elnara Abbasova" (Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation) was awarded a special prize in the "Gentle hero" category.

The awarding ceremony also featured performances by the guests and partners of the festival and a musical program.

Established by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) in 2022, the festival was first held in 2022 to mark the 30th National Olympic Committee.

The festival aims to popularize various sports, promote a healthy lifestyle, attract children, adolescents, and young people to sports, promote the principles of the Olympic movement, create opportunities for cultural education and a full exchange of experiences between creative people, as well as organise film screenings and sports-themed programs, ensuring wide access to local television and film cultural assets of all sectors of society.

The festival partner is the NGO Judo Club 2012. Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az, Turkic World, and Idman.Biz, as well as AZTV, AZTV Idman, CBC SPORT, ARB, SPACE, Olympic.az, OlimpiyaDünyas?, Sportsman.