The 140th anniversary of Academician Uzeyir Hajibeyli, the founder of Azerbaijani national music, the author of the first opera in the East and the composer of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan, was celebrated at the UNESCO headquarters.
The event was also attended by the President of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbeyli.
The event was organized by the Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO and the France-Azerbaijan Dialogue Association.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO at Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elman Abdullayev said that the celebration of the 140th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibeyli demonstrates respect for the life and work of the composer. This also shows the unifying power of music, the appreciation for establishing a dialogue between cultures and universal values. The Permanent Representative spoke about the exceptional role played by Uzeyir Hajibeyli in the formation of the national musical identity of Azerbaijan.
“The first opera in the East, “Leyli and Majnun” in 1908, was not just a musical work. It was a real cultural revolution. Hajibeyli, combining the centuries-old tradition of Azerbaijani mugham with the classical forms of Western music, built a musical bridge between the East and the West.
Then, the President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Academician Isa Habibeyli spoke in detail on the life and creative career of Academician Uzeyir Hajibeyli.
It was noted that the celebration of the 140th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibeyli at an international cultural platform such as UNESCO proves that his legacy is important not only for Azerbaijan, but for all of humanity.
Academician Isa Habibbeyli presented the book “Uzeyir Hajibeyli: Life and Creative Career” by Academician Zemfira Safarova, recently has published in English by the “Elm” publishing house of ANAS, to the Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO Elman Abdullayev.
The event was accompanied by a concert program.
