By Vugar Imanov

Copyright trend

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. The Heydar
Aliyev Center hosted the grand opening of the “Festival of Poetry,
Art, and Spirituality – Nasimi,” organized by the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan in partnership
with the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(ISESCO), Trend

The festival, held since 2018, has become a tradition and an
important cultural platform designed to unite generations and
cultures, promote dialogue, and reveal the rich heritage of the
great thinker and poet Imadaddin Nasimi through the prism of
contemporary art. This year, from September 23 through 25, Baku and
Shamakhi will be the centers of a rich program dedicated to
studying the poet’s philosophical and literary heritage, as well as
a wide range of events in the fields of literature, theater, and

The opening of the festival featured an international forum on
the theme “In Search of Eternal Truth,” which brought together
about 70 researchers and scholars from Azerbaijan, Türkiye,
Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Canada, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Oman,
Tajikistan, and other countries.

Addressing the forum, Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Adil
Karimli, President of the National Academy of Sciences of
Azerbaijan, Honored Scientist, Academician Isa Habibbayli,
Scientific Curator of the Forum, Director of the Nizami Ganjavi
National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature, Professor Rafael
Huseynov, a full member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of
Sciences, and ISESCO Director General Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik
emphasized in their video speeches the importance of the festival
in promoting and presenting Nasimi’s creative heritage to the
general public. It was noted that the festival is considered an
important international event in the promotion of Azerbaijani art
and is designed to promote the rich philosophical and literary
heritage of one of the greatest poets of the medieval East,
Imadaddin Nasimi. At the same time, the festival has taken its
rightful place among international cultural events, strengthening
Azerbaijan’s authority as the guardian of the spiritual and
artistic values of the East.

Nasimi’s poetic heritage is a true treasure, reflecting the
breadth and humanism of his views. The poet’s lyrical and
philosophical lines, inspired by the beauty of nature and the
greatness of the human soul, still sound contemporary today,
calling for knowledge of the world through understanding of man.
Nasimi’s image, his fate, and his ideas have left a deep mark on
world poetry, and in Azerbaijan, they have become a source of
inspiration for artists, sculptors, directors, and researchers who
have created a whole layer of works dedicated to the great
philosopher.

After the official part, the festival continued with panel
sessions. This year’s program includes not only scientific
discussions, but also art exhibitions, theatrical performances,
literary evenings, musical presentations, and other significant

On September 23, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum will host
the opening of the exhibition “Beyond Time and Space,” which will
present Nasimi’s poetry and philosophy, as well as Sufi traditions
and views through the harmony of various art forms. For this
purpose, rare gems of art from leading museums in Azerbaijan and
Türkiye have been selected for the exhibition.

On September 24, the festival will continue in Shamakhi and will
be held for the first time at the Nəsimi Bağları (Nasimi Gardens)
complex. Here, with the participation of famous khanende (singer),
vocalists, poets, and reciters, a bright and diverse concert and
art program will be presented, various master classes will be
organized, and an open-air “Multidisciplinary Arts Festival”
dedicated to Nasimi’s work will be held. Festival participants will
also be able to see a giant statue of the outstanding poet Nasimi,
made in a modern style, on the grounds of the complex.

It is in front of the Nasimi Gardens complex in Shamakhi, the
festival will reach its climax with the grand premiere of a new
production of the immortal work by the great composer Fikrat
Amirov, the ballet “The Legend of Nasimi,” created by renowned
director and producer Andris Liepa. The performance will be
presented by a ballet troupe accompanied by the symphony orchestra
of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. The
choreographer is Patrick De Bana, who has collaborated with various
troupes in different countries.