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 (ICESCO), Trend reports.
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.
One of the event's guests was Ali Kumail Qazalbash, a professor at Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan.
During the forum, he delivered a presentation, "The Philosophy of Love in the Poetry of Nasimi and Muhammad Igbal", noting the high standard of the Nasimi Festival.
"Our participation in the festival is more than just a visit. It is a conscious contribution to the dialogue of cultures and a desire to build bridges between peoples through poetry and philosophy. We came here with an open heart to share our perspective, learn new things, and pay tribute to Nasimi - a symbol of humanism, spiritual depth, and boldness of thought.
This festival is of international significance. It embodies philosophy, poetry, and culture. Nasimi's thoughts resonate with those of Jalaluddin Rumi (Mevlana), whose legacy is also deeply revered in Pakistan. Nasimi and Rumi symbolize the eternal values uniting East and West: love, compassion, faith in the power of words, and human dignity.
I'm confident that such festivals play a key role in strengthening international ties, developing intercultural dialogue, and promoting the spiritual heritage of universal significance," Qazalbash said.
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 Imadeddin 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.
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