BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. The Heydar Aliyev Center hosted the grand opening of the “Nasimi Festival of Poetry, Spirituality and Art,” 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 reports.
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 music.
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 projects.
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.
