Azerbaijan Day in Tashkent focuses on culture and art

September 16, 2011

On September 16, the Center of National Arts in Tashkent hosted Azerbaijan Day organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tashkent and the Fund Forum as a run-up to Azerbaijan’s Independence Day to be celebrated on October 18. The artistic and thematic exhibitions held as part of the event enabled those gathered to get a taste of the country’s rich culture and history.

Attendees of Azerbaijan Day included members of diplomatic missions, international and public organizations, journalists and all those who are interested in Azerbaijani culture. The event kicked off with greetings speeches by the ambassador of Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan, Namik Abbasov, and the chairman of the Council of Societies of Uzbek Friendship with Foreign Countries, academician Saidakhror Gulomov among others.

Namig Abbasov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan:

“All that visitors can see here today shows what a truly free nation is able to achieve. Years of painstaking work carried out by Azerbaijani people has yielded commendable results. What we see here needs no comment or evaluation. The happy faces of Azerbaijani and Uzbek people are the best sign that our efforts and years of mutual cooperation have not been in vain. And the Fund Forum has been instrumental in helping further develop and strengthen the friendly ties between our two countries.”

Saidakhror Gulomov, Chairman, Council of Societies of Uzbek Friendship with Foreign Countries:

“Culture and art bring nations together. This is strong cultural ties are crucial to a successful international cooperation. Today we are gathered here at an event dedicated to Azerbaijan and I hope that more events dedicated to other countries will be held in the near future. I would like to say a special thank you to the Fund Forum for its significant contributions to the development of international relations.”

The visitors were treated to thematic exhibitions offering photos, books and museum exhibits reflecting Azerbaijan’s history from antiquity to the present day.

The exhibition titled “Our friendship is eternal” focused on the cooperation and friendly ties between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Stands featuring photos, charts, diagrams and information about Azerbaijan’s state symbols and political system spoke of the country’s achievements over the past 20 years. Of special interest was the exhibition “The capital of Azerbaijan: yesterday, today, tomorrow”, which offered images of landscapes and architecture that the beautiful city of Baku, located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, boasts.

The exhibitions focusing on the traditional and contemporary culture of Azerbaijan was an opportunity for the visitors to view world-famous Azerbaijani carpets. Their Oriental motifs are similar to patterns featured on Uzbek carpets, which signals that the two nations’ cultures share many aspects.

Features shared by the two cultures could also be seen in music instruments and national Azerbaijani costumes presented at the exhibitions.

The creations presented by Azerbaijani painters, predominantly by prominent artist Sattar Bahlulzade, made a deep impression on the visitors. Bahlulzade, an impressionist, is famed for his landscapes dedicated to his homeland Azerbaijan.