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By Trend

After 39 years, the Days of Vagif Poetry were again organized in Azerbaijan's Shusha city on August 30, Trend reports.

Shusha is a pearl of Azerbaijani nature, history, and art. Nature has gifted this city in the mountains everything - enchanting landscapes, healing air, and life-giving water. Ancient fortresses, buildings, streets, rivers, stones - all this is historical memory. Music and poetry live in every inch of this land. The history of Karabakh, rich traditions of local poetry and musical art - all this is still alive today.

As much as exactly 29 years later, Shusha residents again came to a meeting with Molla Panah Vagif. Once again, a victorious spirit hovers around his mausoleum, poems and mugham are heard. This is the day when the mausoleum of Molla Panah Vagif reopened and the Days of Vagif Poetry began. After the liberation of the city of Shusha, the Days of Vagif Poetry were again organized here on August 30, the history of which is 39 years old.

The grand opening of the Mausoleum of Molla Panah Vagif and the House of Poetry in Shusha on January 14, 1982, with the participation of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, was a manifestation of his great attention to national literature, history, and culture.

It was within the framework of this trip that the National Leader Heydar Aliyev gave instructions to hold the Days of Vagif Poetry, and from July 29 to August 3 of that year, this event was held for the first time in Shusha.

From that day until 1991, the Days of Vagif Poetry were held annually, distinguished by their uniqueness in the history of modern Azerbaijani literature. The event began in the poet's homeland, in Gazakh, and ended at the charming Jidir Plain in Shusha.

As part of the event, which was greeted with great interest by lovers of literature, along with poetry evenings, concert programs were also presented.

The announcement by President Ilham Aliyev of the city of Shusha as the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, the holding of the Khary Bulbul music festival here, the resumption of the Days of Vagif Poetry have become a tradition in the cultural life of not only this city but also the entire independent Azerbaijan, which liberated its lands and restored its territorial integrity.

After the speeches at the opening ceremony of the event organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a video about the history of Vagif's Poetry Days was shown, then ‘Qarabağ şikəstəsi’ (one of the rhythmic Azerbaijani mughams) was performed by the mugham trio.

After the official opening ceremony, the participants of the event visited the restored complex of the Molla Panah Vagif Museum-Mausoleum.

One of the participants of the event, Chairman of the Writers' Union of Azerbaijan, people's writer Anar Rzayev said: "Today we have such warm impressions. The expected day has come. Shusha has been liberated. It is a great happiness to witness such a day. I am grateful to fate for this day."

The Azerbaijani people have never forgotten their beloved poet. Inclusion of the name of Molla Panah Vagif in the "Program of anniversaries of prominent persons and markable events in 2016-2017." UNESCO has become the personification of the high appreciation given to humane values in the work of this great master of the word, who left an indelible mark on the history of the centuries-old, rich literature of Azerbaijan. In addition, TURKSOY declared 2017 the Year of Molla Panah Vagif, within which it held events.

Celebrating the anniversaries of famous personalities at a high level by the state, publishing and promoting their works also covered the legacy of Molla Panah Vagif.

By order of President Ilham Aliyev ‘On holding the 300th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet Molla Panah Vagif’ dated January 12, 2017, scientific and practical conferences, painting exhibitions and a number of other events were held in memory of the poet in the country.

Molla Panah Vagif was a great poet, thinker and statesman of his time. His work is distinguished by a kind of realistic literary and aesthetic position. The poems and songs recited at the event held today in Shusha by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation are very close to the spirit of Vagif.

Secretary of the Writers' Union of Azerbaijan, famous writer-playwright Ilgar Fahmi comments on the historical significance of this day: “If a year ago we were told that next year the Days of Vagif's poetry would be held in Shusha, we probably would not have believed it. Time has changed, this dream, which seemed like a dream to us, came true under the leadership of the President, the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. This is an unforgettable day, a day inscribed in golden letters in life, the memory of every person participating here. Poetry Days have traditionally been celebrated since 1982. Armenian aggression prevented their implementation. After the liberation of our lands, the Vagif mausoleum was restored, and it was decided to hold poetry days. The days of Vagif's poetry, the opening of which we are celebrating today will continue for several days. Within the framework of poetry days, there will be performances, a literary symposium is planned, exhibitions are shown.”

“After the liberation of the lands from the Armenian occupation, a new period began in the cultural development of Azerbaijan. The restoration of historical monuments belonging to the Azerbaijani people, the celebration of traditional and even more grandiose events is a triumph of return. Today we are witnesses of another such celebration. The restoration of the mausoleum of Molla Panakh Vagif in Shusha is highly appreciated by the entire Azerbaijani literature. Among those who came to the Days of Vagif Poetry with a heart overflowing with words is the national poet Sabir Rustamkhanli.,” Fahmi said.

He stressed that this poetry holiday, which is being held again in Shusha, is a kind of message to the world: “First, the liberation of the city of Shusha, the return of the spirit to the ancient cultural center of Azerbaijan, the arrival of representatives of literature here and the resumption of the Days of Poetry is a very big historical event, a bright history of our history. In fact, the spirit and history of this city, the feeling of revenge for our martyrs gave strength to our soldiers in liberating the city of Shusha. Thanks to this heroism, our poetry has renewed its traditions, which will be eternal as the word of Vagif, as Shusha itself.”

Today is a real holiday in Shusha, everyone wants to share their joy and pride. There is a feeling of joy in the chest of everyone, which was given to the people by the won victory. Everyone wants to express their gratitude for this victory to the President, the victorious Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev, the First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, the immortal martyrs, war veterans with poems or songs are sung. Today Shusha has become the crown of poetry and words.

Today, August 31, Days of Vagif Poetry will be continued with a symposium.

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