January 19, 2013

First Bakhtiar Vahabzadeh International Symposium

An international symposium dedicated to the thoughts and works of Bakhtiar Vahabzadeh was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The three-day symposium held at the University of Kafkaz attended by more than 100 scientists from around the world.


First Bakhtiar Vahabzadeh International Symposium was held with the participation of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic, the Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Coordination (TACC), the Dialogue Eurasia Platform (DEP), Gaia Foundation, the Institute of Yunus Emre and Executive Power of Sheki.

The symposium, which opened with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Turkey, took part the poet's wife Dilara Vahabzade, Deputy Minister of Education of Azerbaijan Republic Gulu Novruzov, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ismail Alper Coskun, deputies, representatives of non-governmental organizations, teachers and students.

Addressing the event, Deputy Education Minister Gulu Novruzov said that it would be wrong to regard this commemoration of Vahabzadeh by symposium as "the study of the life of a poet." Novruzov said: "I view this Symposium as the study of life is not an ordinary poet, but as a representative of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, who defended Azeri values ​​when they are threatened."

Speaking at the symposium Rector of Kafkaz University prof. Ahmed Sanych, said that the main themes of Vahabzadeh works were homeland, native language, the problems of the people, love to people, love for God, family, etc. Prof. Sanych said the poet had a peculiar style of poetry, he was very attached to his people and homeland, but along with that he was thinking of all mankind.

Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alper Coskun said that poet Vahabzadeh in very difficult circumstances of his life and his works was able to maintain and protect his own "I". Coskun said that the poet chose the model of "defence by words", for protection the values ​​of the country., Ambassador Coskun, said Vahabzadeh struggle in the most difficult period of time for Azerbaijan, and he became the model for the whole Turkish world.

MP and Head of PDE Committee on Azerbaijan Nizami Jafarov mentioned courage of the poet to express the thought that no one could dare to express aloud and about his ability to feel what that is beyond others.

Professor of Kafkaz University Bayram Gündogdu, noted in his speech that "the people's poet" Vahabzadeh was a man who dedicated his life to the people. For the best determination of Gündogdu expressed similarity of poet with Necip Fazil, his thoughts with Mehmet Akif, and poetry - with Yunus Emre.

At the end of the program, Ambassador Alper Coskun gave commemorative plaque to spouse of poet Dilyara Khanum and other participants of symposium. In his statements to the press Alper Coskun said that through this symposium conducted at the University of Kafkaz, scientists from around the world were given the opportunity to explore legacy of Vahabzadeh.

Published on Dialogue Eurasia Platform, 13 December 2012, Thursday

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