NEWS

The Baku Expo Center hosted the national culinary championship "Golden Shah".

The event was co-organized by the Association of Culinary Specialists with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Caspian Event Organizers, and the National Culinary Center, Azernews reports.

As part of the championship, youth and professional chefs, cooks, and confectioners competed in the individual competition.

The first place among the youth teams was taken by "WorldSkills 2" which included Kamilla Gasimova, Leyla Valiyeva, and Yusif Rashad. The second and third places were taken by the teams "WorldSkills 1" and "Tornado", respectively.

The first place among professionals was taken by the team of the "Cheese Factory" restaurant that included Tapdig Shafiyev, Rasim Temirbulatov, and Maria Shukurova. The second and third places were taken by the Boulevard Marriott Hotel and Hilton Hotel, respectively.

Elvin Aghamaliyev of the Highboll team was declared the best cook. The special prize of the championship was given to Tural Mammadzade for the technique of drawing an image on shah-pilaf.

Medals were also played in the categories "Fish Dish", "Meat Dish", "Poultry Dish", "Restaurant Dessert", "Modern Azerbaijani Cuisine" and "Art".

The judges of the championship were the heads of various international associations and certified judges of the World Culinary Association, including Michel Uwe (Germany\UAE), Stevo Karapanja (Croatia\Switzerland), Domenico Maggi (Italy), Iztok Legat (Slovenia), Vuksan Mitrovic (Montenegro), Goran Radiozhevich (Serbia), Nikolay Baratov, Makhach Vagabov (Russia)

The Caspian Events Group has launched the project "The Best of City" to discover some of the best public and cultural figures in various areas.

The award ceremony took place at the Hilton Baku Hotel. The Best of City Awards was attended by media personalities, members of the public, cultural figures, representatives of the creative intelligentsia, and youth.

Honored Artist Aybaniz Hashimova and her Bulbul ensemble thrilled the audience with the song "Vetenden pay olmayir", which was recently performed at the Kharibulbul International Music Festival in Shusha.

The authors of the project include Tural Alakbarov and Ilmirza Aghabayov said that the award is given to the best in the areas of business and public life, culture and science, the beauty and medicine industry, television, and the media, which were determined through social networks, media monitoring, and expert opinions.

They noted that Caspian Events Group has carried out such successful projects as Trend of the Year, Global Star Awards, Youth Awards, etc.

The Best of City Awards laureates in various categories included People's Artists Konul Xasiyeva, Fidan Hajiyeva, Meleyka Asadova, Agadadash Aghayev, Honored Artists Aybaniz Hashimova, Tayyar Bayramov, Ilkin Ahmadov, Babak Niftaliyev, Matanat Iskanderli, TV presenter Khadija Sanangizi, executive director of the European Azerbaijan School Francesco Banchini, Trend News Agency correspondent Vugar Imanov and others. Honored Artist Elnur Karimov and radio host Aysel Shahin were the hosts of the evening.

The ceremony was followed by an entertainment program.

President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Afandiyeva has met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture Anar Karimov.

During the meeting, talks were held regarding further expansion of the existing partnership between the Foundation and Azerbaijan, its founding member, as well as joint steps to strengthen the cultural unity of the Turkic World. Touching upon the announcement of Shusha as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2023, the sides discussed the work to be done in the framework of cooperation between the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It was noted at the meeting that the Foundation will continue to contribute to the global campaign "Peace4Culture" initiated by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan.

The sides also exchanged views on the approval of the Foundation’s budget and the formation of the organization's secretariat on an international level in connection with the wider implementation of projects to study and popularize the rich culture and history of the member countries.

The biggest pop music competition in the world commenced with the first semifinal on Tuesday night, seeing 10 out of 17 countries earn their place in the final -- including the Ukrainian entry, widely expected to finish on top of the podium, according to Euronews.

Lithuania, Switzerland, Armenia, Norway, Moldova, Iceland, Greece, Portugal, and the Netherlands also made the cut.

They are to compete with another 10 that will get selected on Thursday and the "big five" who qualify for the final automatically -- France, Italy, Great Britain, Spain, and Germany -- for the big prize of the continent's best on Saturday.

Located near the Karabakh khan - Panah Ali khan’s palace in Aghdam district of Azerbaijan, the Imaret cemetery, where many representatives of the dynasty of the Karabakh khans were buried, was also vandalized by the Armenians.

Panah Ali khan’s tomb referred to the 18th-19th centuries is situated in the cemetery.

There is another tomb looked alike in close vicinity, which belongs to the Khan of Karabak - Ibrahimkhalil khan, Panah Ali khan’s son.

Panah Ali Khan’s tomb has one front door in arched structure.

The tomb has a polygonal cone-shaped projection.

Khurshudbanu Natavan’s monument was built in front of the tomb.

The savage enemy destroyed the tomb of Ibrahimkhalil khan and the tombstone of Khurshidbanu Natavan, the daughter of the last Karabakh Khan, Mehdigulu Khan Javanshir.

Aghdam city was liberated from the Armenian occupation on November 20, 2020.

On February 14, 2022, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the tombs and house – Imaret complex of the Karabakh khans in Aghdam.

The 'European Town' will open in Baku on May 14.

Report informs that the event will be held in the Seaside National Park.

Officials of the state and ambassadors of the EU countries in Azerbaijan will participate in the opening ceremony.

An evening concert will follow an entertainment exhibition as part of the event.

The Kharibulbul International Folklore Festival has got underway in Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan.

The fifth festival will feature musicians and dance groups from 10 foreign countries performing in various folk styles, as well as folk groups from different districts of Azerbaijan.

A number of soloists, groups, and ensembles will perform on the opening day of the festival.

Azerbaijani filmmakers have been elected members of the European Film Academy.

Rafig Guliyev, Ayaz Salayev, Vagif Mustafayev, Huseyn Mehdiyev, Rufat Hasanov, Orman Aliyev, Teymur Hajiyev, Elvin Adygozal, Ilgar Najaf, Irada Bagirzade and Asif Rustamov joined the European Film Academy.

The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers, who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988.

The Academy under the name of the European Cinema Society was officially founded by the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, as well as European filmmakers.

Every year, the European Film Academy honors films and filmmakers with the European Film Awards. The ceremony is taking place every even year in a different European city, and every odd year in Berlin.

Throughout the year, the European Film Academy initiates and participates in a series of activities dealing with film politics as well as economic, artistic, and training aspects. The program includes conferences, seminars, and workshops, and a common goal is to build a bridge between creativity and the industry.

In 2022, the European Film Academy organizes an annual "Month of European Film". This program highlights European films in the month prior to the European Film Awards, both in European cinemas, on television as well as in cooperation with streaming platforms. A pilot edition of the Month of European Film took place in Berlin in 2021. The first official edition of the Month of European Film will be launched in November 2022 at the Seville European Film Festival.

Shusha to host to the 5th Khari Bulbul International Music Festival on May 12-14. 

The large-scale festival will bring together Azerbaijani and international musicians from ten countries. 

The cultural event gets its name from Khari Bulbul flower which grows only in Shusha.

This flower has a unique appearance which makes it look like a nightingale or bulbul in Azerbaijani.

The word "Khari" stands for "thorny". Two petals of the flower resemble wings, while another one looks like a bird's head. Many legends, poems, and songs are associated with this beautiful flower.

The festival, first held in 1989, was resumed by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation after Azerbaijan`s victory in the Second Karabakh War.

The cultural event used to be held in Shusha annually before the city was occupied by the Armenian forces in 1992. 

The music festival was resumed after Shusha's liberation on November 8, 2020.

In 2021, Khari Bulbul Music Festival featured classical music concerts in the midst of breathtaking nature.

The audience also enjoyed the traditional music of different peoples living in Azerbaijan.

People's Artists Rauf Abdullayev, Yalchin Adigozalov, Honored Artist Fuad Ibrahimov, and the Uzeyir Hajibayli Azerbaijani State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Murtuza Bulbul, the Azerbaijani State Choir Capella under the artistic direction of People's Artist Gulbaji Imanova. Also featured in the concert were works by Uzeyir Hajibayli, Fikrat Amirov, Gara Garayev, Alakbar Taghiyev, Muslim Magomayev, Niyazi, Tofig Guliyev, Vasif Adigozalov and many others thrilled the audience with stunning performances. 

People's Artists Alim Gasimov, Azarin, Dinara Aliyeva, Elchin Azizov, Alixan Samadov, Farhad Badalbayli, Mansum Ibrahimov, Murad Adigozalzada, Natig Shirinov, Polad Bulbuloglu, Samir Jafarov, Teyyub Aslanov, Yusif Eyvazov, Honored Artists Fargana Gasimova, Miralam Miralamov, Sahib Pashazada, Shahriyar Imanov, Shirzad Fataliyev also left no one indifferent.

The Stone Chronicle Museum has hosted a stunning defile with the motto "Karabakh is Azerbaijan! Shusha - from tradition to the future".

The fascinating fashion show was held with the support of the Baku House of Traditional Clothes.

The defile was dedicated to the victory, achieved as a result of the Second Karabakh war and the Year of Shusha in Azerbaijan.

During the fashion show, the models demonstrated 40 stunning national costumes related to Karabakh, particularly to Shusha as well as arakhchin (headwear). Traditional costumes were met with great interest. 

Traditional gowns in Azerbaijan are varied and come in many forms and colors.

The national costumes are original and beautiful. They are vivid, comfortable, and beautifully crafted.

The archeologists found out bronze needle and awl referred to the beginning of the bronze age during archeological excavations on the territory of Azerbaijan.

Silk clothes found in Mingachevir catacombs are referred to the V-VI centuries AD. All these findings prove that the ancient Azerbaijanis could sew for themselves.

In the XVII century, Azerbaijan was known as the largest silk production country in the Middle East. The province of Shirvan was the largest sericulture region. Moreover, Shamaxi, Basgal, Ganja, Shaki, and Shusha regions were also famous for silk production.

Women's outfit

The traditional dress is all about delicate embroidery and bright colors, where red is dominating.

In the past, brides used to wear a red wedding gown. In Baku, a bride wears a white dress with a beautiful red silk sash tied around her waist. For Azerbaijanis, the red color is a symbol of well-being and happiness.

Young girls used to wear bright dresses decorated with various golden patterns. Therefore, a bright color scheme is a distinctive feature of the national costume of Azerbaijani women.

The fabrics, used in the traditional costumes, include silk, flax, wool, or cotton. The finishing of clothes could make the simplest outfit expensive and rich in appearance a suit. With the use of laces, and golden and silver threads, craftsmen created a real work of art. Coins were used from precious metals as ornaments that could be collected by whole generations.

The typical women’s traditional dress of Azerbaijan consists of under and outer garments and clothes for the upper and lower body. A bag-shaped cover veil was an important part of the costume, which women wore while going out. Women also wore a short jacket called arkhalig with long sleeves, fitting back and chest, with a wide opening in the front.

SIngle girls covered their heads with arakhchin decorated with embroidery. The top of an arakhchin was covered with kelagayi. 

Men's outfit

Men's costumes always represented the class affiliation of its owner. National clothes of men in the XIXI century included underclothing and overcoat. The over shirts for men were of two kinds: mid-cut collar and side-cut collar. Both of them had small yokes. Shirts for men were generally made of satin.

Arkhalig was cut at the waist and tight to the body. Gaba was male humeral outerwear, which was sewed of tirme. Chukha, humeral outerwear, was detachable on the waist, with layers and gathers. It was sewed of cloth, tirme, and homespun textile. The fur coat Kurk was made of lamb fur, without a fastener. Its collar was decorated with embroidery. Papaq or hat was considered a symbol of fortitude, honor, and dignity of men in Azerbaijan.

It was the most popular headdress for men which was usually stitched with lamb fur.

Although in modern times, Azerbaijanis do not wear traditional clothes in their daily lives, national costumes inspired many fashion designers.