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By Laman Ismayilova

The cultural legacy of Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi has been discussed as part of a relevant video conference.

The webinar on the theme "Nizami Ganjavi's work is Azerbaijan's intellectual property and the cultural wealth of mankind" was co-organized by the Intellectual Property Agency, the Centre for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication and the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation within the framework of the "Year of Nizami Ganjavi".

In his opening remarks, Chairman of the Intellectual Property Agency Board Kamran Imanov stressed the importance of the proclamation of 2021 as the "Year of Nizami Ganjavi" in Azerbaijan. He noted that this year is also another example of the state's attention to the life and work of prominent representatives of national classical literary heritage.

Speaking at the webinar, Culture Minister Anar Karimov noted that the president's order to declare 2021 the "Year of Nizami Ganjavi" in the country is an important event not only for Azerbaijan but also for the Turkic world, the East and the world literature.

Nizami's legacy brought national literature to the forefront of world art and raised the Turkish-Islamic renaissance to its highest peaks.

The culture minister emphasized that the poet's lyrical poems "Divan" and immortal "Khamsa" defined the millennium priorities of the Middle East literature and enriched it with a new form, deep content, progressive ideas, laid the foundation of a huge school of poetry with his original thinking and innovative style.

Anar Karimov noted that in honour of the 850th anniversary of Nizami, the year 1991 was declared as the "Year of Nizami" by UNESCO and its anniversary was celebrated at the international level. With the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, monuments to the poet have been erected in St. Petersburg, Rome and other cities. Moreover, the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre was founded in 2012 to promote the poet's literary heritage.

International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation President Gunay Afandiyeva said that although the great thinker lived for 68 years, Nizami's works are still relevant today.

Deputy Education Minister Firudin Gurbanov noted that Nizami's work had become an important part of the spiritual culture of the Azerbaijan people for more than eight centuries.

Azerbaijani ambassador to Brazil and Secretary-General of the Azerbaijani National Commission for UNESCO Elnur Sultanov said that events dedicated to Nizami's jubilee will be held in foreign countries, as well as at the UNESCO Headquarters.

The meeting was followed by a video message from the co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre, Ismail Serageldin, as well as speeches of Cambridge University researcher, Professor Christina van Ruyemberkin, executive director of the Centre for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication Vusal Gasimli, director of the Institute of Manuscripts, academician Teymur Karimli and others.

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