Conference dedicated to Nasimi’s poetry opens in Russia [UPDATE]

By Laman Ismayilova

An opening ceremony of the international scientific conference "Nasimi’s poetry – anthem to human: Synthesis of Eastern and Western cultural and spiritual values" has been solemnly held at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The conference brought together scientists from various countries, including Russia, the US, Iran, Turkey, Finland and Uzbekistan.

Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the event held as part of a series of events marking the 650th anniversary of great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Imadeddin Nasimi.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu, Director of Russian Philosophical Society Andrey Smirnov, director of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences Abdulsalam Huseynov, head of the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan Ilham Mammadzade and others were also among the guests.

Co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia and Russian Philosophical Society, the conference featured reports on modern philosophy, cultural legacy and creativity of Nasimi, his poetry and hurufi ideas, problems of humanism in his creativity, moral perfection in his aesthetics and other issues.

Seyyid Imadeddin Nasimi was a great Azerbaijani poet and eminent figure in the poetry and philosophical thought of the Orient. He was the founder of the school of philosophical poetry in the Azerbaijani language.

The poet created myriads of works in Azerbaijani, Persian and Arabic. The poet wrote about 300 poems, including ghazals, gasidas ("lyrics"), and rubais (quatrains). Nasimi’s Turkic Divan is considered his most important work, which contains 250-300 ghazals and more than 150 rubais.

His poetry is rooted in the social, political and cultural development of the countries of the Near and Middle East, and especially of his homeland, Azerbaijan.

After his death, Nasimi's works continued to exercise a great influence on many Turkic language poets such as Fuzuli (1483–1556), Khatai (1487–1524).

In connection with the 650th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet, President Ilham Aliyev declared 2019 the Year of Nasimi. Numerous scientific institutions, cultural centers, institutions and organizations are holding a series of events dedicated to the poet.

The Nasimi Festival of Poetry, Arts, and Spirituality was held for the second time from September 28 to October 1, 2019 in the country. The festival was organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

World-famous scholars and poets, philosophers, artists, music, dance and theater groups took part in the festival.