Visions of Azerbaijan International magazine on Azerbaijan

By Ibrahim Zeynalov

Azerbaijan celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the restoration of state independence on 18 October 2011. The land has evidence of being one of the world’s most ancient human dwellings and centres of culture and the most ancient traditions of statehood, doing back some 5,000 years. States existing on the territory of Azerbaijan invariably made their military-political and economic-cultural influence felt in the Near and Middle East. The preservation of independence played a crucial role in developing a culture of public administration in Azerbaijan as well as a socio-economic, cultural, ethnic and political history, in the process of developing a united nation. Different states existed on the territory of Azerbaijan ...more ››

On 19 October, more than 1,500 people descended on the Central Hall, Westminster, a stone’s throw from the Palace of Westminster, in a London celebration of the 20th anniversary of Azerbaijani independence. This glittering event was organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UK and The European Azerbaijan Society ...more ››

By Murad Mehdiyev

Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industries have advanced significantly since the regaining of independence. In the early 1990s, foreign companies began looking to invest in a country evidently rich in hydrocarbon resources and it now has a large say in global energy discussions. It is also the richest country in the South Caucasus, increasingly able to influence political processes in the region. Many analysts and politicians accept that energy is a key factor in any resolution of the region’s most complicated problem – Nagorno-Karabakh. Besides its oil, the Caspian Sea is proving to have plenty of gas stored below its waves and some experts believe that Azerbaijan’s exports of gas will supersede those of oil. Recent ...more ››

George Bournouti an has writt en a review of The European Azerbaijan Society’s three-volume Armenian Questi on in the Caucasus - Russian Archive Documents and Publicati ons in the Ararat magazine (www.araratmagazine.org). Although the effi cient preparati on and internet posti ng of a review so soon aft er publicati on of the lengthy three-volume set is admirable, its structure and content arouses ...more ››

by Ian Peart

Thomas Goltz wrote one of three books that any western visitor must read to get some under-standing of Azerbaijan as it is and how it got here. His Azerbaijan Diary tells the story of the country’s struggle to survive and establish itself in the early 1990s after the collapse ...more ››

by Karim Shukurov

The main sources for a demographic study of a nation are its pop-ulation statistics. During the Soviet period (1920-1991) the population figures for Azerbaijan were, of course, included in the vital statistics of the USSR. After the declaration of state independence (18 October 1991) and the collapse of the USSR (18 December 1991) the country’s ...more ››

by Tofiq Babanli

Boxing came to Azerbaijan early last century, with the influx of workers, engineers and experts from Russia and Europe to work in the oil industry. By 1924, the union of boxers was founding the first boxing federation and meetings of amateur boxers were underway in ...more ››

by Sabuhi Mammadov

An Azerbaijani journalist came across the story of an 84 year old French woman who married and came here to her husband’s home town of Imishli when she was 19. She had a wish to see the place of her birth once more. The European Azerbaijan Society helped her fulfil this wish.
… How much longer?
Not even an hour has passed as she asks this question for perhaps the tenth time since the Baku-Paris plane took off. She has not taken her eyes off the monitor showing the flight’s progress. She merely glanced at the food brought by the flight attendant. She took a sip of water ...more ››

by Fiona Maclachlan

Silk. Even the word conjures up exotic images of luxury and mysticism. The Silk Road adds to all this the added dimension of the long-ago plod of camel caravans, Arabian nights storytelling and, of course, trade across the world’s great empires. This historical route carried merchandise between east and west much of the way around the ...more ››

by Fiona Maclachlan

An email arrived from a friend in KL who used to live in Baku.
FW: Let´s Hear it for Baku
The content was short and to the point.
This is such a cute song about Baku...In case you missed it, here it is ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4-U6TGX1T4
And on clicking on the link I joined the thousands of others ...more ››

by Fakhraddin Mammadov

Ganja, located at the north-eastern foot of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, in one of the most beauti ful corners of Azerbaijan, has been signifi cant to the politi cal-economic and cultural life of the country since the earliest of ti mes. Medi-eval Ganja was known as an important centre of craft and trade throughout the Near and Middle East.
In the 7th century AD the whole area now covered by Azerbaijan, including Ganja, was a batt lefi eld between Arabs and Khazars. Sources say that the Caliphate occupied Ganja and Shirvan and sent Abdul Aziz with a great army against the Khazars. From the second half of the 11th century, Ganja and other cities were exposed to attacks by the ...more ››

by Yagub Mahmudov

A letter from Elizabeth I to the Safavid Palace England and Azerbaijan began their relationship during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). There were six trade expeditions to Azerbaijan between 1561 and 1581 (this article is about the first three visits – ed.), English travellers covered every inch of our land and left behind much interesting information ...more ››

by Bakir Nabiyev

Ahmad Javad Muhammadali Akhundzadeh was born on 5 May 1892, in the Seyfali village near Shamkir, west Azerbaijan. His grandfathers were from Southern Azerbaijan.
His father Mullah Muhammadali was one of the rich intelligentsia of the time, but he died when his son was only six years old. Ahmad was soon recognised as a clever and perceptive child; even before school he knew some Suras of the Qur’an by heart and recited them in a pleasant voice.
He began his education at the Muslim school in his own village. The family went through difficult times when his father died and his ...more ››

by Turan Mammadaliyeva

The 1960s saw the dawning of a golden era for Azerbaijani jazz. It was a decade with a very particular environment, nurturing the flourishing of many styles in the country’s jazz life. Innovations of the time included free flight as well as intensive styles; the quality improved and the period witnessed some unique and brilliant talents.
One of the finds of the 60s was jazz composer and pianist Rafiq Farzi oglu Babayev (1936-1994). Babayev was born in Baku on 31 March 1936, into the family of Farzi and Shahbayim Babayev. He was the fourth of the family’s five children. Hardwork, education and comprehensive knowledge were fostered in all the children from their earliest years ...more ››

by Fiona Maclachlan

I like to visit Azerbaijan´s National Parks. They are managed, developed and promoted by Azerbaijan´s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, based in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital. The international community is taking ever more notice of the world´s countryside and environmental issues and I´ve been discovering plenty of reasons to take a close look at the parks here.
First and foremost, I enjoy the natural environment, and in Azerbaijan there is an amazing variety of ´nature´ because of the diverse geography. My aim is to go along to the parks, see what there is to see, find out about visitor facilities, and then tell you about them. We hope to ...more ››

by Ziyadkhan Aliyev

Enlightened ‘enemy’
Maral Rahman-zadeh (1916-2008) was born into the family of goldsmith Yusif in the Absheron village of Mardakan, and although she is now celebrated for her work with paint, her talents could have taken her in many different directions. She certainly impressed the audience who watched her play the lead in Jafar Jabbarli’s emancipation play Sevil, staged by students for the Azerbaijani State Art College’s graduation ceremony. People’s Artist Hajaga Abbasov, director of the Theatre College, who was watching the play, was amazed and wondered why she had gone in for painting rather than theatre. Thus, Maral, who graduated in 1933, was dispatched to Moscow with the ...more ››

Drawings and paintings by the young Azerbaijani artist Kabira Alieva were showcased in early September in ZANN, a landmark exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries in Central London. Some 250 enthusiastic viewers attended the preliminary private view, including H.E. Fakhraddin Gurbanov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK; H.E. Volodymyr Khandohiy, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK; Lord Laird; Florian Seitz, Deputy Head of Culture and Education, German Embassy to the UK; renowned violinist Nazrin Rashidova and members of the London-based Azerbaijani diaspora. Whilst exploring the artwork, guests also enjoyed a variety of Azerbaijani sweets and drinks. The event was sponsored by The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS), and was part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of renewed Azerbaijani independence, following the fall of the ...more ››

by Farhad Mammadov

Not content with occupying the lands of Karabakh, it seems that Armenians want to claim and register as all their own the carpets of Karabakh as well as other historical, cultural and artistic works that were created on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. An article placed on the ...more ››

by Rustam Alasgarov

You can’t miss Bibi-Heybat mosque as you head south past the lower tip of Baku bay; its two minarets dominate the headland. The location was no casual choice for this prominent shrine; it has long been revered as a sanctuary. When Islam spread to Azerbaijan, popular holy places were assimilated and given Arabic and Muslim names.
Despite its relatively small size, the original mosque was one of the main sights of old Baku; it blended perfectly with its surroundings and also somehow took on different identities from different angles. You can see this from old photographs.
A look at the chronology of the complex’s construction and modification gives us an idea of how Bibi-Heybat developed ...more ››

by Nigar Abdullayeva

We have featured many of Azerbaijan’s charming environments, historical monuments and beautiful sites. The capital, Baku, also has some wonderful views. The reconstruction and renovation work carried out here in recent years has seen historical monuments restored and the many parks dotted about the city reconstructed in modern style. The work has brought both splendour and facilities for the population’s pleasure. Nowadays, the National Seaside Park is a firm favourite with both residents and guests of Baku.
The changing face of Baku Boulevard
As we write we see the Boulevard in the National Seaside ...more ››

by Nushaba Huseynli

The first time I saw hazelnut orchards those endless green spaces were like something from the Indian movies I watched in my youth. I imagined Indian movie stars going through at least five costume changes while singing their declarations of undying love and devotion below ...more ››