BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 25. From October 31 to November 2, Baku will host the “Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW” arts festival, an event that brings together art, culture, and ecology, Trend reports.
The project is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan. The author and initiator of the project is Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder of the IDEA Public Association.
This immersive event will transform Baku into a living stage for contemporary creativity, dialogue, and discovery. Special attention will be devoted to the ecological situation in the oceans and seas, conveyed through the language of art. The festival’s central theme — water — symbolizes life, renewal, and sustainable development. Water, as a symbol of resilience, renewal, and collective memory, has been chosen as the key element of Art Weekend, fostering a meaningful dialogue with the international art world.
One of the festival’s highlights will take place at the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre, where the multidisciplinary project “The Pistachio Tree: Roots of Memory” will be presented.
Based on a story by the prominent Azerbaijani writer, People’s Writer of Azerbaijan and State Prize laureate Maksud Ibrahimbeyov (1935–2016), the production tells the story of a man and a tree — a symbol of resilience, memory, and hope. It is a tale about roots, time, and the human ability to preserve one’s inner light. The monodrama will be performed by Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Shovgi Huseynov.
“The project unites three elements — art, tradition, and nature — creating a single artistic space where the past and future meet in the symbol of the pistachio tree — a tree that thrives where water is scarce and sustains life even in harsh conditions. By combining literature, tradition, and ecology, "The Pistachio Tree: Roots of Memory" expresses the idea that ‘By preserving the culture of the past, we are responsible for the nature of the future,’” said Anna Ibrahimbeyova, Director of the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre.
A “Pistachio Carpet” woven by masters from Azerkhalcha will serve as a visual embodiment of cultural roots and national traditions. Its patterns echo the themes of the story, intertwining literature, craftsmanship, and the living fabric of Azerbaijani culture.
In addition, a pistachio tree will be planted in front of the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre in Icherisheher — a living symbol of respect for nature and water. This gesture transforms an artistic concept into action, uniting humanity, art, and nature in a single breath.