Visions of Azerbaijan International magazine on Azerbaijan

by Thomas Goltz
The scope of the second annual Baku International Humanitarian Forum (4-5 October) was evident from the moment I arrived in the Azerbaijani capital.
Intercepted at the entrance to the customs and passport hall designed for mere mortals, myself and a couple of other arrivals on the ...more ››

A delegation of French Senators visited Azerbaijan between 30 September and 4 October; the trip was organised by The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS). The delegation was headed by M. Ladislas Poniatowski, Co-President of the study group on energy in the Senate of France, and included Mme Delphine Bataille, M. Jean Besson, M. Christophe-André Frassa and M. Jean-Claude Lenoir. The senators were received by Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Ogtay Asadov, Chairman of the Milli Majlis; Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Economic Development; Natig Aliyev, Minister of Industry and Energy; Shahmar Movsumov, Executive Director of the State Oil Fund and Elshad Nasirov, Vice-President of SOCAR. The meetings focused on issues of cooperation in developing political, economic, energy, cultural ...more ››

From 17-19 October, The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) cooperated with Yahad–In Unum to hold an international symposium, The Role of Azerbaijan in World War II and as a Refuge from the Holocaust in the Caucasus.
It is fair to say that this was a groundbreaking event in Baku, not just for the scholarly level of participants and presentations, but also for the level of discussion it encouraged on important areas of history which have previously received little attention. The symposium opened with introductions by TEAS Chairman Tale Heydarov, Ali Hasanov, Head of the Socio-Political Department of the Presidential Administration, Father Patrick Desbois, President of Yahad-In Unum and Paul Shapiro, Director of the Centre for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the US Holocaust ...more ››

by Anne Thompson
Archaeology in Azerbaijan is enjoying a renaissance. Research and excavations, which came to a halt with the collapse of the Soviet Union, have resumed in recent years at sites across the country. ‘We’re returning our history,’ Naila Valikhanli, vice-president of the Azerbaijan National Academy ...more ››

The European Azerbaijan School had a double celebration on 15 September. Both Knowledge Day and the official opening of the newly-constructed educational institution, the European Azerbaijan School.
After the national anthem, Director Amalia Shirinova delivered an opening speech, congratulating pupils and participants on Knowledge Day and the school’s official opening and wishing them success and good fortune in their studies. Mrs. Shirinova pointed out that the European Azerbaijan School conformed fully to European standards and that there was every facility for students to receive a high-level education. The school has 40 classrooms, a gymnasium, swimming pool and a cafeteria to accommodate 220 people.
Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov attended ...more ››

by Emil Agazade
It was on a gloomy, rainy evening back in 1995, at my cosy local cinema, the Renoir, not far from London’s Russell Square, when it first dawned upon me. Watching films from unexpected and unusual places was my way to quench that everlasting hunger for getting to know the world and travelling in time and space. On that particular evening ...more ››

On 20 November, more than 200 people attended the opening of a stunning new photography exhibition at La Galleria Pall Mall, located near Trafalgar Square in London. During the evening, the winners of the hotly-contested Azerbaijan Through the Lens photography exhibition, organised by The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS), were announced. Sabina Rakcheyeva, Cultural Advisor to TEAS, revealed that the winner was Asim Talib for his photograph Old Men, taken in 1985 in Kelbajar, Karabakh (currently occupied by Armenia). Mr Talib, a professional photographer since 1977, received £2000 of travel vouchers.
In total, this exhibition showcased 100 photographs of contemporary Azerbaijani people, culture, landscapes and architecture.
Over the course of several months, around 750 photos were received from amateur and professional photographers ...more ››

Well yes, it’s true that the country has always been a crossroads and many and varied have been its visitors, so you come to expect the unexpected arrival. But it still came as a pleasant surprise to hear that a leading Paris designer of fashion was in town for a photo shoot. And, as ever, there was a connection. So it was that I found myself in a quiet section of the Marriott Absheron Hotel’s expansive entrance lounge waiting to meet Tilmann Grawe.
If you are a follower of Gaga fashion, you may just have noticed the headwear, often spiky, always with a glitter, that the Lady has used to help her on her way to another dimension. The man responsible for that look was on his way down to explain his most recent creation, for TEAS…. Ulduz Buta. But first, a little background.
A native of Dortmund, Tilmann was single-minded in turning early tailoring experience into fashion design and headed for Paris ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
In the East, the pomegranate has been considered the king of fruits from the earliest of times. This may arise from the original shape of its sepals which form a ‘crown’. It is even believed that the pomegranate may have given people the idea of the crown for a king.
Festival
The fruit is native to Persia. The Moors brought the pomegranate to Spain around 800 BC and King Henry VIII was responsible for its arrival in Britain, but it is still not as popular as in the East. It is especially respected and loved in Azerbaijan where there is an annual pomegranate festival in late autumn – harvest-time. They are grown in all areas of the country; however, the best ones grow in Goychay, regarded as the fruit’s ...more ››

“I am a Bakuvian. Here I was born. Here live my friends. Baku is my homeland, Baku is my home…” M.Rostropovich
The VI Mstislav Rostropovich International Music Festival held this year from 3rd to 9th December in Baku had a fascinating musical programme. Held in commemoration of one of the great musicians of the contemporary period, the festival this time attracted world-renowned musicians and ensembles from Azerbaijan, Russia, Italy, the USA and the UK - Zubin Mehta, Enrico Dindo, Maxim Vengerov, Plamena Mangova, Sergei Krylov, Badri Maisuradze, Gianluca Marciano, Stuart Neill, Rauf Abdullayev, Fuad Ibrahimov, Elvin Hoca Ganiyev, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino symphonic orchestra, UK and Lithuanian chamber orchestras and the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra. The festival was ...more ››

by Sevinj Gasimova
A.A. Bakikhanov (1794-1847) is one of the most distinctive thinkers among the great personalities of 19th century Azerbaijan. What makes him stand out from the other talented researchers of the period? First of all, this historian was a leading light of the Azerbaijani Enlightenment. He originated the idea of establishing secular schools. One of Bakikhanov’s most prominent features was the fact that he was not a believer in Providence. He was knowledgeable in both modern science and literature and the classical Eastern traditions. He skilfully analyzed the ideas of both Eastern and Western thinkers, thus his philosophical work comprised aspects of Eastern, Russian and European culture and philosophy.
Bakikhanov worked in the fields of archaeology ...more ››

by Garatel N. Gafarova
The 19th century was a time of progress and enlightenment in Azerbaijan. Many progressive ideas were circulated, moving the nation towards democratic views and national awareness. The establishment of a national dramaturgy, realist prose and theatre, the publication of newspapers and magazines in the mother tongue and the opening of new-style schools in the second half of the 19th century had an undoubted positive influence on the cultural development and progress of the nation. In this context, the opening of an Azerbaijani (Tatar) Department on 1 September 1879 at the Transcaucasian Teachers’ Seminary in Gori (in Georgia) was a highly significant event. The seminary was some distance from Azerbaijan’s borders. Travelling there was difficult via poor transport ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
As global experience demonstrates, economic development is more advanced in countries with well-established small and medium businesses. In Azerbaijan the main demand for professional skills comes from the trade, agricultural, service and other sectors, many of which have links with the vocational schools that produce valuable personnel ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
This year saw the 2nd European Film Festival in Baku. The capital’s film buffs enjoyed a number of new international-award-winning films produced by European directors. And this year the Festival gave the audience a further reason to celebrate. ‘The Swing of the Coffin Maker’ by young home-grown director Elmar Imanov was included in the screening programme.
Student Academy Award winner
It’s interesting that Elmar Imanov was among three foreign filmmakers to be awarded at the most prestigious 39th Student Academy Awards of the American Film Academy. Actually, Elmar was the first Azerbaijani director to receive such a prize. So his compatriots were quite curious and many came to watch his Oscar-winning film ...more ››

by Fazil Rahmanzade
…It all began when reading Nina Vladykina-Bachinskaya’s book P.I. Tchaikovsky, published by Muzika; I came across the following:
Tchaikovsky was once a guest in the house of the singer Yelizaveta Andreyevna Lavrovskaya. They were talking about opera and Yelizaveta suggested that Pyotr Ilyich compose an opera based on Pushin’s ‘Eugene Onegin’.
It‘s worth thinking carefully about, look, what a poetic theme! – added Rahmanov, by origin a Caucasian Tatar, a family friend of the Lavrovskys.
By the way, this conversation took place before the end of the 1870s.
So that was that… Now let’s move on to another issue. I’d like to draw your attention to the following lines taken from the book ...more ››

On a rainy October night, global star Shakira performed at Baku’s Crystal Hall completing a series of concerts by singers from the Americas, including Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. The Baku audience can now catch its breath - it saw them live, sang along with them and thanked them with loud applause. The stars seemed pleased as well with their stay in Azerbaijan’s capital. So this autumn, Baku hosted three of the world’s most expensive pop singers.
Whenever, wherever
Good evening Baku! The Crystal Hall met mega-star Shakira’s greeting with a standing ovation, chanting Sha-ki-ra!Sha-ki-ra! following her well-loved Whenever, wherever. Everyone was on their feet waving to their favourite singer. And everyone was waiting for a miracle that evening. The miracle happened – the tens of thousands who gathered on 14 October at the fabulous Crystal Hall for Shakira’s show ...more ››

by Ian Peart & Saadat Ibrahimova
This festival, organised variously over the last decade or so by an American NGO, the capital’s Jazz Centre and latterly by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Azerbaijan Culture Foundation, has been one of the most intriguing over recent years. World stars of the stature of Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau and Joe Zawinul have featured alongside a line of gifted youth emerging from the home country’s strong musical tradition; even rap and rock, albeit less successfully, have taken the stage. This year’s festival, over ten days in October, was somehow lower key but all the more intimate and none the less exciting for the combination of local and international talent.
The opening day was typical of the mix; Mike Stern, veteran ...more ››

- Berlin photographic exhibition captures the plight of Azerbaijan’s IDPs and refugees -
Philipp Rathmer is an excellent photojournalist and this is particularly evident in his remarkable new exhibition, Five Roads Back Home, which was organised by The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) at Epicentro art in Berlin from 12–15 October. The opening on 11 October was attended by over 500 leading figures from the worlds of the arts, media and society.
The 50 photographs capture the continuing plight of some of the 875,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Despite four UN Security Council Resolutions requiring the Armenian military to leave nearly 20 years ago, the occupation goes on and these people, unable to return to their homes, continue to ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
There is a picturesque place in northern-central part of Azerbaijan called Basqal. Very beautiful landscapes, succulent fruit and the hospitality of its inhabitants make it an attraction for tourists. However, there is also something without which Basqal could not be imagined. This is a headscarf, called kelegayi in Azerbaijani - made of fine, soft silk.
Basqal is a centre of traditional silk weaving.
Basqal was for centuries a trans-shipment point on the Silk Road connecting Asia with Europe. It was here that Azerbaijan captured the technology of silk production, along with other exotic goods, from the mysterious East. Thus medieval Basqal, along with other cities like Sheki and Ganja became a focus of the silk weaving ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
People have enjoyed them for thousands of years. Traders have transported them around the world since the earliest of times, convincing people of their flavour and versatility. The oil produced from the fruit is much appreciated for its many useful properties, especially its beneficial impact on health and beauty. They have an ancient history, even featuring in Greek legends and mythology. They are found mostly in Mediterranean countries, but also in Azerbaijan. Let us take you a little further into the story of the olive.
Symbol of longevity and peace
The cultivation of olive trees can safely be recorded as one of the earliest achievements of human civilization. Archaeological data ...more ››

by Agshin Aliyev
Footballing history was made in Azerbaijan between 22 September and 13 October 2012. Azerbaijan hosted the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time; in fact this was the first time the competition had been held in Europe. It was held over 21 days and was remembered for three reasons: tense, interesting matches, great support from the ...more ››

by Jeyran Bayramova
From 26-28 October the Baku City Challenge provided three days of amazing racing, featuring not only the world’s fastest cars, but also the most skilful driving. Although the capital’s main streets were blocked for three days and its residents had to reshuffle, the show was well worth the effort.
Preparations…
From the outset the organizers viewed the very heart of Baku as the most appropriate place for racing. This meant Neftchiler, the main avenue parallel to the seaside Boulevard. As they said, they had been looking above all for beautiful cities and after a brief search had decided on Baku. At a brief press conference Hartmut Beyer, executive director of the German City Challenge Company, said that the sports cars ...more ››

by Fiona Maclachlan
Aiming for success in Baku? Then stay at the Qafqaz City hotel - the top choice for the best business people!
Occupying a prominent position overlooking the central exhibition centre and, beyond, to the Caspian Sea and Nargin Island, the Qafqaz City Hotel is Baku´s newest and biggest short term residence with 18 floors, 317 Hotel rooms and 9 Apartments.
Unashamedly a business hotel for the discerning, the restful interior is welcoming and at once exudes a calm efficiency. Light and bright throughout, the optimistic and uplifting atmosphere creates the perfect ambience for a successful meeting.
At check-in you will be greeted warmly and made to feel ...more ››