ANAS President Academician Isa Habibbayli met with Sofia University's scientists on September 25, following the example set by St. Kliment Ohridsky.
The President of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbeyli, greeted the visitors and noted that Azerbaijan is crucial to Europe's energy security, particularly Bulgaria, and that our countries' ties have been quickly improving in recent years.
Academician Isa Habibbeyli, who said that economic and political relations open up new opportunities for cooperation in the scientific and cultural field, pointed out that last year he was on a scientific visit to Bulgaria in order to expand relations in this direction. He noted that a cooperation agreement was signed between the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences within the framework of the visit. Based on the mentioned document, the President of ANAS emphasized that during the past period joint researches were conducted in the field of artificial intelligence, seismology, archeology, linguistics, literature, and folklore together with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He said that at present, the Institute of Literature and Folklore Institute named after Nizami Ganjavi of ANAS and the Institute of Literary Studies of EA Bulgaria are implementing a joint scientific project on "Satire and humor in literature: from folklore to written literature (based on the materials of Azerbaijani and Bulgarian literature)".
Academician Isa Habibbeyli, noting that there is a great interest in our country in Bulgaria, said that the Azerbaijani Language and Culture Center operating under Sofia University and its director Sofia Shigayeva-Mitreska play an important role in this direction, and Bulgarian students study Azerbaijani language and literature through the center. The head of ANAS also highly appreciated the research conducted in the field of Turkology in Bulgaria and emphasized that Bulgaria has become one of the centers of Turkology in Europe.
Academician Isa Habibbayli said that scientific institutions of ANAS are interested in cooperation with Sofia University named after St. Kliment Ohridsky of Bulgaria, and necessary support will be provided for further development of joint relations.
Then Professor Irina Sarıivanova, Head of the Department of Turkology and Altai Studies of the Faculty of Classical and New Philology of Sofia University named after St. Kliment Ohridsky of Bulgaria, Dr. Lyudmila Kirilova, Head of the Department of Japanese Studies, Doctor of Philological Sciences, and Sofia Shigayeva-Mitreska, Director of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture Center operating under Sofia University, spoke.
It was stated that great importance is attached to studies on Turkology, including Azerbaijani studies, in Bulgaria. In particular, successful scientific research is conducted in the fields of literary studies, folklore, manuscripts, and Bulgarian students show great interest in learning the Azerbaijani language and literature. In recent years, with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Bulgaria, the works of Nizami Ganjavi, Imaddin Nasimi, Huseyn Javid and Jalil Mammadguluzadeh have been translated into Bulgarian and presented extensively.
Sofia Shigayeva-Mitreska said that the center she leads is interested in expanding joint cooperation in the direction of promoting the Azerbaijani language and culture.
At the end, Academician Isa Habibbayli presented a gift to the guests and took a commemorative photo.
