A ceremony on the 100th anniversary of outstanding representative of the Azerbaijani literature of the 20th century, scientist, pedagogue Mir Jalal Pashayev at the UNESCO Office in Paris
Event was held November 10 at the UNESCO Office in Paris on the 100th anniversary of outstanding representative of Azeri literature of XX century, scientist, pedagogue Mir Jalal Pashayev. First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony.
First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony.
Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:
Mr Director General!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Dear guests!
I greet you all and express my gratitude for accepting our invitation and being with us this evening.
I am much delighted for being with my friends and colleagues. I also express my deep gratitude to all employees of UNESCO hardly working for protection and development of education, science and culture in the world. UNESCO is the highest platform for protecting communication among nations, get acquaintance with each other, share knowledge and value cultural diversity of the world.
I want to particularly greet Director General of UNESCO Mr Koichiro Matsuura and express my gratitude to him for supporting the UNESCO ideals and for continuous activity.
This summer UNESCO and Azerbaijan arranged 2 high-level conferences. Mr Director General participated in the regional conference on literacy in the modern world and education for all. I also express my gratitude to Mr Matsuura and UNESCO for supporting the conference we held in our country on the role of women in the dialogue of civilizations and cultures. I sincerely wish to continue the successful cooperation in future.
Dear friends,
Cultural heritage is pride and honor of every nation. Literature and language play the major role among a number of factors that are necessary for protection of cultural heritage and its delivery from one generation to another. Language and literature are also very important factors in formation of independent state. Looking at the history of our country we would see Azerbaijan that is located in important geopolitical point has existed within different empires for centuries. But despite all difficulties we managed to safeguard our culture, language, literature, traditions and national values. It prevented loss of our national specificity. We protected that and became strong independent state.
On this point, persons having dedicated all their lives to literature and language are much valuable for us. Today, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of famous writer of Azerbaijan, scientist and teacher Mir Jalal Pashayev. Mir Jalal Pashayev, a talented writer, has enriched the treasure of literature of Azerbaijan with his novels and stories. As the scientist who studied our literature all his life long he created the theory of Azerbaijani literature and it has developed and is developing upon rules and principles he determined. As an outstanding teacher and enlightener Mir Jalal Pashayev emphasized language and literature are not parts of history and culture only, they are also in the heart of every person. It is hard to describe with words variety of this personality, since he personified talent of writer, intellectual level of scholar and sensitiveness of teacher.
Mir Jalal used to describe and study the life in his books. He always tried to study the sense of life. Beside 6 novels he has written nearly 300 stories that are bright samples of Azerbaijani literature of XX century. His stories are specific with his personal impressions and images of his time. His heroes are described in the artful and convincing manner and remembered. Unforgettable humor is reflected in a number of works he created.
At the time, heroes of literature were made serve formation of communism and only true pearls of literature stood the tests of the time. Mir Jalal dedicated a number of years of his life to study works by Mohammad Fuzuli. He was the first scientist giving the scientific-theoretical classification of works by Mohammad Fuzuli.
Scientific sphere titled study of Fuzuli was for the first time reflected in scientific works by Mir Jalal. Mir Jalal studied works by that favorite romantic poet in the 1930-40s when studies on strengthening of communist ideology were in vogue.
As I mentioned, Mir Jalal had excellent qualities of teacher. He believed in the youth. A lot of his students became scientist and writer in future. Approaching every youth with care and respect he tried to develop its creative potential. Mir Jalal supported them to try their strength and considered inspiring the person and assuring in personal strength is the most appropriate way in its development.
He used to often say his students: ‘You are the best students and you will have success in every job’. He was right, a lot of his students represent today scientific and intellectual potential of the Azerbaijan society.
Mir Jalal was a sincere person with high moral qualities and deep dignity. People around this prominent personality used to always have interesting talks with him. Inborn talent and genuine humanism allowed him to defeat difficulties and obstacles in life and support lots of people. He was not a flame leaving others in the shadow. Vice versa, Mir Jalal always tried to show the way and help. This personality was one of the most outstanding figures of Azerbaijan history and culture.
Today I have great honor to represent that great person here at such an influential organization as member of his family, his granddaughter.
I want to mention that about half a century ago, in 1960 Mir Jalal visited France as a member of the first delegation of intellectual circles of Azerbaijan and shared his impressions in work ‘On the roads to France’. He wrote about historical and architectural sites of Paris, great cultural heritage of France. Mir Jalal emphasized the newly constructed building of UNESCO valuing it as a monument bringing a new style to the city. Just today we are marking his jubilee in that building.
Mir Jalal, a very modest person, never thought of fame and honor titles. He used to often repeat: ‘I have got works and students. It is enough for me!’. Today we may add: he has won great respect of the people of Azerbaijan that will remember him forever.
Dear friends, finally I would like to again express my deep gratitude to the UNESCO leadership. I always feel very sincere hospitality here, see very kind atmosphere of UNESCO family. I am much grateful for it.
Once again I express my gratitude to all participants and organizers of the event, wish you happiness and prosperity.
Thank you.