Introduces the 30+ years Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its origins, the Armenian and Azerbaijani perspectives, and the significance of the conflict beyond the parties involved. The conflict resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths and over 1.3 million displaced persons across Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. The dispute was marked by fundamentally incompatible perspectives. Armenians viewed unification with Armenia as a necessity for addressing perceived discrimination. For Azerbaijan, regaining control over the territory became a foundational mission for its statehood. The initial full-scale war from 1991 to 1994 ended with an Armenian victory, creating a deep sense of national humiliation in Azerbaijan.