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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum has hosted the presentation of the project "The New Story of Kelaghayi", Azernews reports.

The event dedicated to the 11th anniversary of the inclusion of the Azerbaijani kelaghayi in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was opened by Amina Melikova, the Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and Honoured Worker of Culture.

In her opening speech, she said that kelaghayi is not merely a nice woman's accessory or a decorative and applied art sample; this is also an expression of the deep philosophy of the nation and a defender of the memory that is passed down through generations.

She also underlined that the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum consistently works on the preservation and promotion of this heritage among future generations. Honoured Worker of Culture, PhD in Art History, Professor, Kubra Aliyeva, talked about the kelaghayi art – the ancient attribute of the national women's costume. She underlined that the kelaghayi art remains a subject of study across many disciplines. The Chair of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Bahar Muradova, said that kelaghayi is a precious accessory that emphasises the tenderness and the best qualities of the Azerbaijani women. She also added that Gulnara Khalilova is an artist who has studied the art of kelaghayi from both scientific and theoretical perspectives, and has managed to bridge the gap between its past and future.

Designer Gulnara Khalilova, Head of the Azerbaijani National Clothing Centre, member of the Eurasian Ethnodesigners Association, PhD in Art Studies, and founder of the CIZGI brand, said in her speech that she tried to demonstrate the connection of kelaghayi with women's destiny, cultural memory, and national identity through blending the spiritual power of kelaghayi and contemporary fashion in her new collection.

Within the framework of the project, the Magic of Silk clothing collection by Gulnara Khalilova was showcased. The new collection that reveals the brightest and most poetic shades of silk, by blending the profound meanings of kelaghayi with the delicate aesthetics of contemporary fashion, caused great interest.

The event also included an exhibition showcasing historical and modern kelaghayis selected from the collection of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, as well as contemporary clothing from Gulnara Khalilova’s Silk Treasure collection. The museum specialists conducted a masterclass on kelaghayi-making.

The artistic part of the event included the Kelaghayi dance performed by members of the Children and Youth Development Centre No. 3 acting under the Baku Education Agency.

The presentation, which harmoniously brings together the centuries-old spirit of the kelaghayi with today's creative energy, aesthetic vision, and way of thinking, demonstrates once again that this ancient heritage is not merely a cultural legacy of the past but an ever-evolving artistic language gaining new meaning.

The project took place with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and through the collaboration of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and the Gulnara Khalilova Fashion House.