The official opening ceremony of the Vagif Poetry Days, organized jointly by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, took place today in Shusha.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, other ministry officials, Special Representative of the President in Shusha district Aydin Karimov, representatives of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, as well as writers and poets from across the Turkic world.
The event, held in front of the museum-mausoleum complex of the 18th-century poet and statesman Molla Panah Vagif, featured speeches by TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, People's Poet Vahid Aziz, and Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union Rashad Majid. The speakers emphasized the significance of the Vagif Poetry Days in promoting Azerbaijani literature, preserving national and spiritual values, and strengthening literary ties within the Turkic world.
People's Poet Vahid Aziz expressed his pride during the event:
“It is a great joy to be here, and it is gratifying to see that the Vagif Poetry Days have gained such momentum. This event grows stronger and more powerful every year. It demonstrates that Azerbaijani literature and culture are in reliable and capable hands. We are the children of a victorious nation, and today we hold such events on the liberated lands of Garabagh. Long live Azerbaijan!”
Rashad Majid noted that the Turkic World Young Poets Festival has become a traditional platform, contributing to the strengthening of shared literary values and cultural bonds among young poets from across the Turkic geography. Following his remarks, an award ceremony was held for the winners of the festival.
The program also included a performance titled “Hunter of the Word – My Heart Yearns for Garabagh,” dedicated to the 120th anniversary of People's Poet Samad Vurgun. The stage composition, based on the drama “Vagif,” was received with great interest by the audience. The official portion of the event concluded with a musical performance.
The Vagif Poetry Days have become a cornerstone of cultural life in Shusha since the city's liberation in 2020. The event honors Molla Panah Vagif, who served as the vizier of the Karabakh Khanate and was a prominent poet, whose mausoleum was restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation after years of neglect during the occupation.
