Damaged statue of Azerbaijani poetess from Evian arrives in Paris

The work related to the transfer of Khurshidbanu Natavan’s statue from the city of Evian-les-Bains in France to Paris and its installation in the Cultural Center near the Embassy is ongoing, Azernews reports.

On March 4, the statue was taken from Evian-les-Bains, and on March 6, it was delivered to the Cultural Center.

During the transportation of the statue, the covering on it was removed and revealed that red paint had been applied (the eyes of the statue, as well as the parts where the name and Azerbaijani script are written, were painted red). Additionally, the statue itself was damaged, with its nose and fingers broken.

Khurshidbanu Natavan stands as a prominent figure in 19th-century Azerbaijani literature, symbolizing women's liberation and making significant contributions to the cultural advancement and societal fabric of Azerbaijan. In an era when European female writers frequently adopted male pseudonyms, Natavan, upholding Islamic values, spearheaded literary gatherings in Shusha, a cultural hub in our nation, and encountered the renowned French writer Alexandre Dumas in 1858. The encounter left a lasting impression on Dumas. Notably, Natavan's initiative to construct a stone road from Baku to the Shikh village was documented in Alexandre Dumas' work Journey to the Caucasus.

It is worth noting that, in line with the friendship and cooperation agreement signed in 2015 between Azerbaijan's Ismayilli city and France's Evian-le-Bain city, the Azerbaijan Garden was inaugurated in 2017 in the latter city. Additionally, a monument dedicated to the renowned Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan was installed in the park as part of this collaboration.