Executive Director of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Elekberov: “Baku” magazine and its English edition is an important part of the promotion of Azerbaijani culture

‘Baku’ magazine and its English edition is an important part of the work towards the promotion of Azerbaijani culture in a wider geography. Executive Director of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Elekberov, who partook in the ceremony of presentation of ‘Baku’ magazine’s English edition in Moscow, said to AzerTAg.

Mr Elekberov said: ‘Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s Vice President Mrs Leyla Aliyeva carries out quite serious work to promote the Azerbaijani culture abroad, supports all cultural projects Azerbaijan implements abroad. I think, ‘Baku’ magazine is one of the important segments of the work in this direction. Only this year, Heydar Aliyev Foundation has performed many projects on the 20thanniversary of the restoration of the state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In frame of these events, large-scale cultural events and programmes were realized in a number of cities of the world. First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva directly supervised the preparation and accomplishment of these events. We held the next big event on the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the state independence of our country just in Moscow on May 17. Today, thanks to such publications, materials we can talk much more about Azerbaijan. This is the major duty to us. It is not doubt that ‘Baku’ magazine has a special place among the publications in the Russian Federation and the English edition of the magazine will take its worthy place, get popularity in the English-speaking audience. The magazine is very creative, interesting and informative. We are very glad for this. I am sure the audience of readers of this magazine will be increasing year by year.’

Talking of the future plans to promote the culture of Azerbaijan, Anar Elekberov said: ‘Heydar Aliyev Foundation releases a lot of publications. Before we used to hold ceremonies to present these publications, but today they are so many that we physically cannot hold presentation of these publications. But they are in majority of libraries in the world, in Azerbaijan as well, and for this reason we will distribute those publications all over the world in different languages. These publications contain plenty of information on our country’s culture, sights, carpet-weaving, heritage of mugham. Series of publications on the activities of great poet of Azerbaijan Nizami Ganjavi, a work about Azerbaijani cookery are under development. We schedule to prepare publications in Italian language for the event to be held in Vatican and Rome late November.’

In reply to the question about the importance of the Azerbaijan Cultural Centre recently opened in Moscow under the patronage of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Executive Director said such centers are being created across the globe.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation is certainly one of the main organizations providing comprehensive information on all spheres of development ongoing in Azerbaijan. The Foundation attaches special attention to assuring the international awareness on the realities of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlig Garabagh conflict, the issue of the nationwide significance. We consider that via such centers people may have an opportunity to be closer to Azerbaijan, learn more about it, and thus, we will have more friends and partners across the world. Today, the world has lack of true information on Azerbaijan. The Foundation fills this gap. Of course, the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Moscow will be an important step in this course. I think, through this center many of students will take interest in Azerbaijan, citizens planning to come to Azerbaijan will have all necessary information. The Library of Foreign Literature where the Azerbaijan Cultural Centre is located gave an opportunity to lay in its alley a bust to one of the prominent representatives of the Azerbaijani culture. This project is under discussion. Several proposals have already been prepared, and the President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation will soon confirm whose bust will be set. And after that the bust will be made and erected.

Concerning the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s projects on reconstruction of the Russian schools, Mr Elekberov said a school newly reconstructed by the Foundation was recently opened in Astrakhan. Before that, a similar project was performed in Ulyanovsk. We have recently discussed a project on opening the children’s sport grounds in Astrakhan. This project may be implemented together with Russian foundations.

We receive very good views from Ulyanovsk. That was very serious project to us. We fought for that project, put our heart and soul on its implementation. We so much hope that schoolchildren from Astrakhan, who will finish this school next year, will also send sincere letters to Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva. Receiving such sincere letters is so good that just only this inspires us to do a lot.

The Executive Director of Heydar Aliyev Foundation noted the Foundation has recently developed a film about Ferman Salmanov, the legendary oilman of Azerbaijan. The film will soon be presented in Russia.