Visions of Azerbaijan International magazine on Azerbaijan

by Colleen MacDonell

The Second International Mugham Festival in Mid-March was dubbed Muğam Aləmi (The World of Mugham). And what a rich and varied world it is! The concert schedule offered everything from symphonic, classic, folk, opera and jazz mughams from Azerbaijan to related ...more ››

On 21 April, The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) presented its latest book to a distinguished audience of Azerbaijanis and expatriates in Baku’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. In attendance were politicians, government officials, academics, journalists, business people and students.

The book, The Armenian Question in the Caucasus: Russian Archive Documents and Publications, in three volumes, was presented in Azerbaijani and Russian language versions. An English language ...more ››

by Yoko HIROSE

An Azerbaijan Week of Culture and Science in Germany was held in Humboldt University, Berlin, from 29 November to 3 December last year. The event was principally the result of cooperation between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the embassy in Berlin, and Humboldt University.

The back ground to the project was the opening of a department of Azerbaijani history at Humboldt, one of Germany’s leading universities, in 2010. The previous year, Christoph Markshies, former president of the university, and Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Germany, had signed an agreement to open the ...more ››

by Jeffrey Werbock

“There was nothing even a close second”

Jeffrey Werbock is one of Azerbaijan’s favorite Americans. Well-known and respected for his expertise in mugham, he also has a passion for the antique carpets (‘rugs’ to Americans) ...more ››

by Fiona Maclachlan

Then read on. I think this Azerbaijani based Community-Based Tourism initiative must be one of the most interesting eco-stay projects anywhere in the world. Not only does it give the guest the opportunity to stay in stunning countryside in Azerbaijan and learn about a very different culture, it also supports two very special and distinct indigenous ethnic populations, the Lezghi and the Talysh people, giving brighter hope for their futurefuture. Thanks to the efforts of a couple of particularly enthusiastic American guys, this rather special Eco-stay project in Azerbaijan is just about to welcome its first guests. Sign up soon for your own visit and have the time of your life.
I would like to say a huge well done ...more ››

by Ian Peart

We did our best, we really did, but the Ordubad-Julfa road is just too photogenic, and who knew when we would be back? So there were quite a few photo-stops. But, eventually, we had to listen to our guide Gulbuta khanim’s pleading – and her promises that the day’s final sight ought not to be missed. Thus we turned north at Julfa onto the Nakhchivan city road and cameras were readied again as we swung right, straight towards Ilan Dag – Snake Mountain – whose gouged summit exercises an almost magnetic attraction; hardly surprising that Noah’s Ark failed to avoid it.
After passing hilly terrain, the road switches left and across an open plain the great cleft rock suddenly appeared, a village prostrate in ...more ››

by Rovshan Didavari

Falcon in the Land of Fire
A human being flying in the skies! At one time it sounded like a fairy tale. Now thousands of people soar into the blue like birds. Mistress of the Skies – was how they described Leyla Mammadbeyova in her time. She became a living legend.In the mid-1930s the Moscow ...more ››

by Peter Hopkirk

Shortly after Noel’s departure, Baku had erupted into bloodshed. The Jungalis, it appeared, now held him personally responsible for the massacre of several thousand of their fellow Muslims at the hands of Armenians. To understand how this came about, it is necessary to look briefly at the events leading to this bloody turmoil. Shortly after hearing of Noel’s capture, MacDonell, then still in Baku received a message asking him to call urgently on one of the leading Muslim figures in Shaumian’s left-wing coalition. Although calling itself the Baku Soviet, it included Muslims and others who were neither Bolsheviks nor necessarily sympathetic to their aims. After discussing, somewhat circumspectly, the general political situation with his Muslim host over tea and biscuitsbiscuits ...more ››

by Shirkhan Salimov

Armenians in Sumgayit’s ethnic landscape

According to official statistics, as of 1 January 1988, Sumgayit had a population of 258,200 people, including 14,208 Armenians. The figure shows that, as was the case elsewhere in Azerbaijan, Armenians featured significantly on the ethnic map of Sumgayit, a city established only in 1945. In fact, their role went far beyond the bare figures. Advanced research shows that Armenians were active in Sumgayit’s trade sector - especially in the Soviet period,there was a widespread ...more ››

by Karim Shukurov

Atropatena. Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE in Babylon, a council was convened and Atropat’s son-in-law, Perdikka, was made regent of the state. The first division of the satraps took place here, but Lesser Media was not affected. This gave Atropat the opportunity to strength his rule. In 321 BCE, after Perdikka’s death, a second division took place, but Atropatena retained its territorial integrity. Thus, from that time onwards, Atropatena was accepted as an independent state. The state of Atropatena covered mainly the current South (Iranian) Azerbaijan, some regions of the current Azerbaijan Republic and other neighbouring territories. The capital of the state ...more ››

by Akram Rahimli (Bije)

The early 19th century was a traumatic time for the Azerbaijani people. Their lands were divided as a result of wars between Russia and Iran in 1804-1813 and 1826-1828 years. Following the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828, Azerbaijani lands north of the River Araz were included in the Russian Empire. Azerbaijanis living south of the river were allocated to Iran. See our edition of January-February 2011, pp 56-58.

We will publish articles reflecting the history of South (Iranian) Azerbaijan as well as of the current Azerbaijan Republic. See our edition of November-December 2010, pp 68-73 for the first ...more ››

by Rustam Alasgarov

The German page of Azerbaijan’s history is one of the more interesting. The founding of the first German colony in Azerbaijan, life therein and relationships with local people, the deportation of Germans by the Soviet Government during World War II and other episodes were key elements. We published Rustam Alasgarov’s article on the establishment of the first German colonies in our January- February 2010 edition. He now continues the story....

As we reported, 500 families of landless German peasants accepted the invitation of the Russian tsar, left their native German princi pality of Wurttemberg at the beginning of the 19th century, and found shelter many thousands of kilometres away in Azerbaijan, which was then ...more ››

by Kamil Ibrahimov

Mosques provide the most significant and widespread examples of Oriental architecture as applied to religious constructions. As well as prayers, mosques in Muslim countries are also used for other activities bringing people together. Numerous village mosques were built on Azerbaijani lands between the 11th and 13th centuries and their architectural significance has been preserved to the present. The Muhammad Siniqqala mosque in Baku is one of the most significant examples of Islamic architecture in terms of its structure.

History and architectural structure
The mosque was built by local dignitary Muhammad Abubakr ...more ››

by Teymur Kerimli

Azerbaijan’s literature is a unique spiritual treasure-house for its people and there is no doubt that Nizami Ganjavi is one of the greatest representatives of this literary heritage. His works, with their unique poetic innovations and universal themes, have transcended borders to influence the literature of distant lands. We hope that by introducing readers to more detailed information about the great poet’s life and work, Nizami will be more appreciated in the West, too. Perhaps we can encourage more research in academic circles. We will run a series of articles about Nizami by both Azerbaijani and international experts. The first article in the series deals with the poet’s creative environment and his ideas about ...more ››

by Ian Peart

Visions of Azerbaijan will follow developments in all creative spheres of the country’s life and will focus especially on priority areas. the contribution made by scientists is sometimes overlooked and we are keen to ensure that due recognition is given to their work. Science nowadays is the driving force of progress and, historically, Azerbaijan has contributed much to scientific advance. the tradition has been maintained and the country’s academic and educational institutions continue to conduct research in a variety of areas. Scientific innovation is crucial to the modernization and renewal of many sectors of industry. In future issues we will feature articles about the younger generation of scientists and the fundamental research on which they are working. We hope that this project ...more ››

by Ziyadkhan Aliyev

Just one visit to the nation’s spiritual treasure-house, otherwise known as the Rustam Mustafayev Azerbaijani State Museum of Art, will confirm that the Land of Fire has much more than its ‘black gold’. The art works displayed in the museum, forming a spiritual bridge across the centuries, provide ample evidence. But how was the museum founded? How was this enchanting collection assembled? To answer these natural questions we would like to transport you back nearly one hundred years…

Finding a home…
Although art works had been on display in a separate section ...more ››

by Dilshad Aliyarli

There are probably few well-known fashion designers who could easily locate Azerbaijan on the map, and then probably because they hope to find a new market in this oil and gas rich post-Soviet country. But there is certainly one world class designer who became interested in Azerbaijan for a different reason. French shoe designer, Christian Louboutin decided to travel to Azerbaijan to see the land where east meets west, to find out about its culture. He was under the influence of a book about Kurban Said, the mysterious author of the early 20th century novel ‘Ali and Nino’.

People in Baku have a special attachment to this book and its author, and a special interest in people who are familiar with the novel. I am not wrong in saying that Kurban Said brought me and Mr.Louboutin ...more ››

by Aydin Kazimzade

Who was Mikhailo?

The Italian partisan leader Palmiro Togliatti went to Moscow in 1947 and met Stalin, leader of the USSR. During their conversation he mentioned the partisan Mikhailo, who had displayed great heroism in World War II, and he spoke of his incredible courage. But Mikhailo’s real identity as an Azerbaijani named Mehdi Huseynzade was not revealed during the conversation.

At the end of the 1940s, the State Security Commission (KGB) investigated the way people had fought in the war; who had avoided ...more ››

by Shirin Manafov

An international regatta was held in Mingechevir after 6-years of reconstruction at the well-known rowing centre. Competitors from Ukraine, Russia, Iran and Georgia were convinced that a world class rowing centre had been created on the Kur river.
The regatta for the President’s Cup recalled the times when the rowing base was in its prime, from 1980-1987. More than one hundred rowers from Georgia, Russia and Azerbaijan took part in the competition. The interest in rowing in Azerbaijan and the quality of training for our oarsmen creates belief in a brilliant future for the Kur rowing centre – this was noted by the guests of honour at the competition: President ...more ››

by Anar

Anar (Anar Rasul Rzayev), well-known modern Azerbaijani writer, was born in 1938. His literary work dates from 1960. He achieved popularity with his very first publication - throughout the Soviet Union as well as in Azerbaijan - for his originality and the innovations in style and ...more ››