The meeting of the Organizing Committee established due to the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2018 was held at the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on June 7.
Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Chairman of the Organizing Committee established due to the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2018 Vasif Talibov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Chairman of the Organizing Committee established due to the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2018 Abulfas Garayev and members of the organizing committee viewed the exhibition reflecting works on the election of Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture.
The exhibition features a silver logo "Nakhchivan - Capital of Islamic Culture 2018", badges, envelopes and postage stamps which have logo on them, materials of the international conference "Turkic-Islamic Cultural Monuments of Nakhchivan: in history and at present", books such as "Nakhchivan: Turkic-Islamic Cultural Monuments", "Wise sayings in Islam", " Nakhchivan Tombs", " Nakhchivan bath-houses", "Nakhchivan ice-houses", "Ancient and Modern Nakhchivan", introductory video of the logo "Nakhchivan - Capital of Islamic Culture 2018", the TV film "Nakhchivan: Turkic-Islamic cultural monuments", souvenirs reflecting the Turkic-Islamic culture monuments in Nakhchivan, as well as carpets, handicrafts made of salt, beads, gypsum, copper and leather, various accessories, local products with the logo of "Nakhchivan - Capital of Islamic Culture 2018”.
Then Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Vasif Talibov stated at the meeting of the Organizing Committee: According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated June 2, 2016 the Organizing Committee was created in order to ensure that the events on the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2018. The first meeting of the Organizing Committee was held on November 25, 2016, and meetings were held at the working group level in the last period. Today, the second meeting of the Organizing Committee is held. Nakhchivan State Musical Drama Theater will host the opening ceremony held on the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2018. Relevant preliminary work is being carried out in accordance with the Action Plan.
Highlighting the implemented tasks, the minister of Culture of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Natavan Gadimova noted that in accordance with Decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic dated January 23, 2017 “Nakhchivan Capital of Islamic Culture-2018” logo was prepared. At present, logo is demonstrated on the monitors of Nakhchivan city, at entrances of Nakhchivan International Airport and Nakhchivan city, “Nakhchivangala Historical-Architectural Museum Complex and “Tabriz” hotel. In addition, logo is also promoted in mass information means, websites and social networks. 100 thousand envelopes, 100 thousand postage stamps reflecting the logo, 200 booklets consisting of postage stamps, 500 badges have been prepared. According to the Action Plan, proper documents have been prepared in order to include the tombs of Momina Khatun, Yusif Kuseyr oglu, Gulustan and Garabaghlar Tomb Complex, the monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture, into the list of ISESCO.
On July 7, 2017, the international conference “Monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture of Nakhchivan: in history and at present”, on December 6, the conference “National leader Heydar Aliyev is the founder of religious solidarity” were held. The preparation of printing materials for the promotion of monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture has been in the focus of attention. “Wise sayings in Islam”, “Nakhchivan: monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture”, “Nakhchivan ice-houses”, “Nakhchivan bath-houses”, “Nakhchivan tombs” books, the materials of international conference held on the topic “Monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture of Nakhchivan: in history and at present” have been published.
The official website of “Nakhchivan Capital of Islamic Culture-2018”, the TV films “Nakhchivan: monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture”, “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture”, “Nakhchivan 2018. Islamic culture” video, as well as souvenirs reflecting “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018” logo have been prepared.
It was noted that an interactive lesson was held at Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS on the topic “Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture” for the students of general education schools on February 21, 2018. The restoration and repair of monuments of Turkic-Islamic culture is also in the focus of attention in the autonomous republic. At present, restoration of Yengija bath-house in Sharur region and Garabaghlar Tomb Complex in Kangarli region is continued. At the same time in order to post the logo of “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018” related to declaration of Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture on ISESCO’s website, the photos reflecting the modern views, nature, historical-cultural monuments of Nakhchivan have been selected and presented to relevant structures. Events have been held in the cultural institutions of the autonomous republic under the motto “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018”.
The program of opening event of “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018” was presented to the members of Organizing Committee at the meeting.
The minister of culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan Abulfas Garayev made a speech and mentioned that the execution of defined tasks related to the declaration of Nakhchivan city as the capital of Islamic culture was in the focus in the past period. An exhibition has been opened at Azerbaijan National Library in connection with the selection of Nakhchivan as Capital of Islamic Culture, relevant corners have been created in all the libraries of the country, events have been held in cultural institutions. At the same time, information was loaded on ISESCO”s website in English, Arabian and French about the event “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018”. There is a great interest for the event “Nakhchivan the Capital of Islamic Culture-2018”. It is expected that international organizations and high level representatives of Islamic countries will take part in the event. All the organizational work has been done to meet the guests in Baku and come to Nakhchivan city. Modern infrastructure created in the autonomous republic and the work done in the field of Islamic values will enable the event to be held at a high level.
Vasif Talibov, Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, gave instructions on the preparations for the opening ceremony and said that the Ministry of Culture of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic should identify countries and films to hold the “Week of Islamic Films” in Nakhchivan, "Week of Islamic Films" consisting of films represent Islamic religion as it is should be held in September of the current year. The Ministry of Economy should focus on the organization of sales of souvenirs reflecting the logo of the "Capital of Islamic Culture Nakhchivan-2018" at the gift shops. According to the Action Plan, a conference on "Islamic Religious and Family Values" will be held in 2018 and a scientific forum on "Islamic Values: Ramadan and Feast of the Sacrifice" should be held till June 20. The Organizing Committee should provide these events with the Nakhchivan Branch of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the State Agency for Religious Associations, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, the essence of family values in Islam, as well as the essence of Ramadan and Sacrifice, should be explained in a scientific way.
It was noted that the Ministry of Culture of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic together with the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic should determine the list of countries to take part in the opening ceremony, 2 State flags of the same size, ISESCO’s flag and the flag with the logo of "Islamic Capital of Nakhchivan -2018" should be prepared for the opening event. The film "The Capital of Islamic Culture Nakhchivan" prepared for the opening ceremony should be translated into English. A photo exhibition "My Nakhchivan" should be organized in the foyer of the theater, a half-hour concert program should be prepared and an exhibition should be organized in Nakhchivan Business Center. The Ministry of Communications and New Technologies should provide simultaneous interpretation in Arabic and English at the opening ceremony. According to the program of the event, on June 19-20, the Ministry of Transport should allocate buses for the guests to take part in cultural events and sightseeing, the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic must identify the English-speaking guides and their representatives to the buses.
The Chairman of the Supreme Majlis said that the Ecology and Natural Resources and Culture Ministries should ensure the meeting of ISESCO's "Green city strategy" experts in the assembly hall of Nakhchivan City Executive Authority, together with the Institute of Bioresources of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences an exhibition of books and photographs about Nakhchivan nature should be opened.
The representative of the Organizing Committee, the vice-president of ANAS Isa Habibbayli made a speech and mentioned that the declaration of Nakhchivan as the capital of Islamic Culture is a great event. The implemented tasks will introduce Nakhchivan to the world as the Capital of Islamic Culture worthy of the Azerbaijani statehood. Nakhchivan is the center of single Goodness and there are 3 monuments related to it in this ancient land. Great culture has been formed in this land. Islamic values and worldliness is unity in Nakhchivan monuments. As a result, in Nakhchivan, a new view of Islam - a scientific and cultural approach was formed, far away from ignorance and fanaticism. Declaration of Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture and the implemented work related to it is the Nakhchivan model of attitude to Islam, in fact, is real Islam model in the worldwide scale. Isa Habibbayli noted that events have been held at ANAS related to declaration of Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture, “Nakhchivan carpets” and “Wise sayings in Islam” books have been translated in Arabic, articles have been published in the press.
The Chairman of the Supreme Majlis noted that proper attitude was formed for Islam religion, its values in Nakhchivan, the election of Nakhchivan as the Capital of Islamic Culture is of great importance for the promotion of this ancient land, also noted the importance of broadcasting the opening of the event in the country and the world press.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
Press Service of the Supreme Majlis