An Evening of Azerbaijan is held in Hamburg
An Evening of Azerbaijan was held, December 5th, in Hamburg, one of the largest port cities of Europe, with organizational support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and assistance by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany. This was the last one of the series of events being held by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Germany in 2013.
Along with two exhibitions at the Evening of Azerbaijan held in historical Börsensaal, there also took place a concert by virtuosic jazz performer Isfar Sarabski.
Photos being displayed at the exhibition “Germans in Azerbaijan” reflected the life, household and labour of Germans settled in Goygol district of Azerbaijan - Helenendorf (Goygol), Annenfeld (Shamkir), Georgsfeld (Chinarly) and Grunfeld (Vurghun) settlements, who had mainly been engaged in wine-making. At another exhibition were displayed pictures drawn by young Azerbaijani artists that have never been to Germany, using their imagination of this country.
Delivering a speech before the concert, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Germany Parviz Shahbazov talked of dynamic development of the relations established between the two countries. He emphasized that in addition to being a country with oil and gas resources, Azerbaijan had also rich cultural and musical traditions, and that the first opera and first ballet in the Muslim Orient were created in Azerbaijan. He said mugham, jazz and pop music were very popular in Azerbaijan, and mugham has been entered on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlyg Garabagh conflict, the Ambassador brought to the attention of the audience that Garabagh, which is considered to be the cradle of Azerbaijan’s culture, has been occupied by Armenia, and hundreds of cultural monuments of world importance demolished by Armenian armed forces.
Thanking Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva for the organization of the evening, the Ambassador noted that, in addition to implementing many social and cultural projects, the Foundation has also greatly contributed to extending cultural ties between Germany and Azerbaijan.
The host of the event, Germany’s well-known TV-correspondent Joe Flexner, having given before the concert information about Azerbaijan, emphasized that the first parliamentary republic in the East was established in Azerbaijan, in 1918, and that women in Azerbaijan were granted the right to vote before women in Europe could enjoy this right. Talking of projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in other countries, Joe Flexner underscored the Foundation’s participation in restoration of historical churches in Strasbourg and Paris, and Rome catacombs, as well as the Berlin Castle demolished during the World War 2nd years.
The guests were informed of the activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its head Mehriban Aliyeva towards developing Azerbaijan’s cultural relations with other countries, and promotion of Azerbaijan’s rich and old culture throughout the world.
The event continued with a concert by Isfar Sarabski’s jazz ensemble.
After the concert, the guests were presented dishes from Azerbaijan’s national cuisine, publications by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation on Azerbaijan’s history, culture and art, CDs with Azerbaijani mugham, jazz, classic and variety music.
Thus the events the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had planned to hold in Germany came to an end.
