President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the People's Poet of Azerbaijan, Samad Vurgun.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, the document notes that 2026 marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Samad Vurgun (Samad Yusif oglu Vakilov), a powerful figure in 20th-century Azerbaijani literature, a renowned playwright, public figure, laureate of USSR State Prizes, and a full member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
The decree emphasizes that Samad Vurgun is an outstanding artist who initiated a brilliant new stage in the annals of Azerbaijani literary thought. At the core of his multifaceted activities stood the ideology of Azerbaijanism, and the poet passionately celebrated the Land of Fire. His poem "Azerbaijan," which has become a household name, is a poetic expression of the love for the Motherland in the heart of every Azerbaijani. The great master of words fought tirelessly for the purity of the mother tongue, creating valuable works with deep universal and social content that reflect the beauty of the language by drawing from the inexhaustible treasury of folk creativity.
Under the decree, the Ministry of Culture, together with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and other relevant bodies, taking into account the proposals of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, will prepare an action plan dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the People's Poet.
Samad Vurgun (1906–1956) is widely regarded as the founder of the modern school of Azerbaijani poetry. His works, including famous plays like "Vagif" and "Farhad and Shirin," played a crucial role in the development of the national theater. His literary legacy continues to serve as a school for contemporary Azerbaijani poets and plays a significant role in raising the younger generation in the spirit of loyalty to national and spiritual values. The poet's house-museum in Baku remains one of the city's important cultural landmarks, preserving the heritage of a man who bridged classical traditions with modern literary innovation.
