Heydar Aliyev Center to host Samani festival
By Nigar Orujova
Heydar Aliyev Center will present Baku a colorful project on the occasion of Novruz holiday on March 18.
The International Art Competition "Samani" will be organized at a park in front of the center on the last Tuesday of the current year - on the eve of Novruz Bayram.
On this day, the park will be adorned with diversely-decorated samani - freshly sprouted wheat.
Samani, a symbol of life and fertility, represents the awakening of nature. The advent of spring has been celebrated in Azerbaijan and many eastern countries since the ancient times.
Ceremonies begin long before Novruz; four Tuesdays before the holiday. Novruz has its own symbols and customs and samani is one of its main attributes.
Azerbaijani people have maintained Novruz's traditions and symbols to the present days, in spite of the fact that it was banned in different historical periods.
Along with the preservation and transmission of national traditions, customs, and values to future generations, this international competition aims to publicize and popularize Novruz more widely using the language of contemporary art.
By demonstrating samanis made in different design by 32 painters and sculptures of different age groups and creative styles, the center aims to raise a festive mood in the city and wish abundance and prosperity for people.
At Azerbaijan's initiative, Novruz was included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in September 2009, and the 64th session of the UN General Assembly meeting declared March 21 as the International Day of Novruz.
Three samanis will be selected as the winners of the competition, and all the 32 works will be displayed in the park until June.
Earlier in December, the Center held an international exhibition and competition called "Kuknar", which united 18 local and foreign artists and sculptors in presenting Christmas trees distinguished by their design. The extravagant trees were put on display in the park for two months.