President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet Afzaladdin Khaqani Shirvani.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the decree marks the upcoming milestone in 2026, recognizing the poet's unparalleled contributions to the treasury of world culture.
The decree emphasizes that Khaqani Shirvani is one of the monumental figures gifted by the golden age of Azerbaijani literature and culture to global civilization. "A powerful master of the word who possessed deep knowledge of the various sciences of his time and rose majestically on the foundation of the centuries-old cultural traditions of the East, he left behind a rich heritage consisting of artistic examples standing at the peak of poetry," the document states. The poet's work is characterized by calls for justice, a spirit of struggle, personal freedom, moral elevation, and faith in the power of human intellect.
To ensure the appropriate celebration of the anniversary, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, together with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, has been tasked with preparing and implementing a comprehensive action plan dedicated to the 900th anniversary of Khaqani Shirvani. The Cabinet of Ministers has been directed to resolve all issues arising from the decree.
Khaqani Shirvani (1121–1190) was a prominent classic of Azerbaijani literature and a master of the qasida genre. Born in Shamakhi, his influence extended across the Near and Middle East, impacting the literary-philosophical thought of numerous nations. His most famous works, including the poem "Tohfat al-Iraqayn" (Gift of the Two Iraqs) and his profound divans, continue to be studied as masterpieces of humanistic literature that blend social-historical events with high aesthetic value.
