Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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On September 25, 2025, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum opened "The World of Tajik Embroidery" exhibition, organised jointly with the National Museum of Tajikistan, Azernews reports.

At the event, speeches were delivered by Amina Malikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum; Ilkhom Abdurakhmon, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan; Member of Parliament Aydin Mirzazade, head of the Azerbaijan–Tajikistan interparliamentary working group; and Zafarsho Ibrokhimzoda Safo, Director of the National Museum of Tajikistan. In their remarks, the speakers highlighted the centuries-old friendship and cultural ties between the Azerbaijani and Tajik peoples, emphasising that this exhibition symbolizes a new stage of cultural cooperation between the two countries.

The opening ceremony’s artistic program featured Ashiq Samira and Ashiq Ali performed the Tajik folk song Dilbar, People’s Artist Gulyanaq Mammadova performing the Tajik folk song Shodu-shod, accompanied by a dance by Vusala Babayeva. Afterwards, young pianist Firuz Juraev presented the composition Scherzo by renowned Tajik composer Miratullo Atoev.

Embroidery is one of the most ancient and delicate forms of decorative and applied art of the Tajik people, embodying their aesthetic ideals, worldview, and spiritual values. For the first time, Azerbaijani visitors were able to explore a rich collection created by masters from different cities and regions of Tajikistan, including Khujand, Istaravshan, Kulob, Panjakent, Rasht, Badakhshan, and others.

The exhibition featured 56 unique exhibits from the Golden Treasury of the National Museum of Tajikistan: suzani (embroidery type), chakan dresses, popurduzi (embroidery type), blankets, small suzani, prayer rugs, embroidered men’s waist bandes (miyonband), mirror covers (oinakhalta), fabric wall embroidery, tablecloth, etc. The suzani collection is extremely rich in colors and ornaments and occupies a special place among the exhibits.

Tajik embroidery reflects not only the artistic taste but also the worldview of the people. Each pattern carries a special meaning – from nature symbols such as pomegranate flower, poppy, willow leaf to the characters of the Sun, the Moon, star, peacock tail, and mallow. These embroideries are decorated with floral and geometric ornaments, epigraphic motifs and calligraphic inscriptions.

The exhibition also presented the distinctive form of Tajik embroidery known as chakan, which was included in 2018 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The World of Tajik Embroidery exhibition organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, and the National Museum of Tajikistan is a significant contribution to the development of cultural dialogue between two countries. It continues the tradition of mutual cultural exchanges, in particular the National Heritage of Azerbaijan Living in Pearls of Art exhibition held in Dushanbe on May 20, 2025. The organizers invite residents and guests of Baku to experience the rich heritage of the Tajik people, where each stitch preserves the living history, craftsmanship, and soul of its creators.

The exhibition is on until October 25, 2025.