NEWS

"Sabah" Creative Studiol has shot a new feature film about the Karabakh war. The film was premired  on AzTV on July 19. 

The film "Family Portrait in Oil" tells about the life of a man named Chingiz, whose only son, a student-artist, became the martyr at the Karabakh war. Unable to bear the loss of his son, his wife also dies. Despite all hardships, Chingiz found the strength to help a neighbor whose son is seriously ill.

The scriptwriter and director of the film is Siraj Mustafayev, photograper - Fakhir Samadoghlu, music composer - Vusal Omarov, artist  -Elyaz Safarov, producer - Sharif Gurbanaliev. 

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict started with Armenia's open territorial claims to Azerbaijan`s historical lands and ethnic provocations in 1988.

More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities initiated by Armenia.

Since 1994, hostilities between the two countries have persisted despite the temporary cease-fire agreement. Usually, Armenian forces violate the ceasefire regime on the line of contact. But recently Armenia has increased military aggression on the border.

Medeniyyet TV will stream Ramiz Mustafayev`s opera "Vagif" on July 23. 

The director of Medeniyyet TV, Honored Artist Ramil Gasimov will take part in the opera production.

The opera will be conducted by musical director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev.

"Vagif" is an opera written by composer Ramiz Mustafayev based on the play of the same name by Samad Vurgun. The author of the libretto is Firudin Mehdiyev. In 1960, the opera was premiered at  Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. The opera production won the All-Union Competition of Composers in Moscow.

Azerbaijan is blessed with an abundance of outstanding marvels and breathtaking natural landscapes. The country offers a variety of natural and man-made sights that are simply captivating.

Khizi's natural landscapes are some of the most  beautiful in Azerbaijan. The climate of this place is mild and the air is dry. A large part of the district territory is covered with forests and mountains.

Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the  best places to enjoy in Khizi region.

Candy Cane Mountains

The dramatic peaks of Khizi region have always amazed and left hikers spellbound with its astonishing beauty.

There's nothing like a spend day in the Candy Cane Mountains full of walking trails and stunning views.

If you're lucky enough to be trekking through Azerbaijan, the view alone of Candy Cane Mountains is simply breathtaking.

These majestic mountains earned their nickname thanks to their striking resemblance to the classic Christmas treat.

The mountains' astonishing colors are produced by groundwater that’s altered the oxidation state of iron compounds within the rock.

This natural phenomenon attracts curious tourists. If you are a nature lover, you must visit and enjoy the impressive Khizi Mountains.

Altiagach National Park

Around 10 km west of Khizi town, there are green and heavily forested hills which has been declared Altiagach National Park.

The park is mostly covered by temperate deciduous broadleaved forests. The major types of trees are Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica), Caucasian Oak (Quercus macranthera), Caucasian Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa), European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Oriental Hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), Oriental Beech (Fagus orientalis), Silver Birch (Betula pendula), White Birch (Betula pubescens), etc.

Since in 2004, Altiagach National Park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur (Capra cylindricornis), a mountain dwelling goat antelope found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains. Other large mammals found here are the lynx (Lynx lynx), brown bear (Ursus arctos), wild boar (Sus scrofa), wolf (Canis lupus), golden jackal (Canis aureus), jungle cat (Felis chaus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), badger (Meles meles), and otter (Lutra lutra), etc.

Historical monuments

There is a graveyard 300-500 in the former Shikhlar village cemetery in the village of Tikhti. This tomb is likely to be the Sheikh Heydar's Tomb, the father of Ismayil I, the founder of the Safavid Empire.

The tower of Beshbarmag, the remains of the lost city of the 5th century, the mausoleum of Sheikh Heydar, the remains of the fallen stone fence of the tower of Khizi are another examples of historical monuments.

Actress of the Baku Municipal Theater, Honored Artist Husniyya Murvatova has presented a patriotic project on social networks.

The video features Elnur Abulfazoglu's poem "Haydı Qarabağa bir yol başlayaq" dedicated to Azerbaijani servicemen who died as a result of Armenia’s provocation in Tovuz on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border.

The cross-border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia started on July 12 noon after Armenian troops fired artillery at Azerbaijani military post in Tovuz region. Three Azerbaijani servicemen died while thwarting the Armenian attack.

Azerbaijani armed forces retaliated destroying a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenia’s military unit by using artillery, mortars and tanks during the night leading to July 13. Azerbaijan also downed an Armenian UAV.  

Azerbaijan lost 12 servicemen, including an army general, during cross-border clashes from July 12 till July 16.

Armenian forces have also been shelling civilians in villages in Tovuz. An Azerbaijani civilian in Tovuz’s Aghdam village was killed as a result of artillery shelling by the Armenian armed forces on July 14.

Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater has concluded its 147th season with the play "Karabakhname".

Speaking about the 147th theater season, theater's spokesman Javid Zeynalli said the celebration timed to the 100th anniversary since receiving the status of an academic theater, Azertag reported. 

The anniversary event held by the order of President Ilham Aliyev was also marked by the fact that the theater workers were awarded with various medals and honorable titles.

Over its 147th season, the theater has premiered such plays as "Yashar", "Bunch of Madmen" and other works. 

The premiere of Eduardo De Filippo's classic Neapolitan tale "Filumena Marturano" was postponed. 

Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater opened its doors in 1873. The comedy "Vazir of Lankaran khanate" was staged there.

During the Soviet period, the theater was awarded many awards for successful activity. Such actors as Huseyn Arablinski, Mukhtar Dadashev, Jahangir Zeynalov, Mirzaagha Aliyev, Sidgi Ruhulla, Alasgar Alakbarov, Adil Isgenderov, Barat Shekinskaya, Leyla Badirbeyli and other famous actors played at the theater.

Plays to works of Jafar Jabbarli, Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Ali bey Huseynzade, Najaf bey Vazirov, Huseyn Javid, Sabit Rahman, Nariman Narimanov, Ilyas Efediyev, as well as to works of other world classics such as Shakespeare, Schiller, Moliere, Dumas, Hugo, Balzac, Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Gogol were staged in the theater.

The theater workers successfully toured Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Germany, Cyprus and other countries.

A documentary film has been made on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of prominent scientist, acamedician Abdulla Garayev.

The film was shot at the initiative of ANAS Institute of Physiology named after the prominent scientist, science.gov.az repored. 

The documentary tells about the life of the scientist, whose name is written in golden letters in the history of Azerbaijani science.

The film provides a lot of details on Abdulla Garayev's scientific researchers as well as his pedagogical and social activities.

Through his life, Abdulla Garayev conducted various psychological researches, in particular, the physiology of interoreceptors (to clarify the role of interoreceptors in metabolism). His main scientific works were devoted to questions of general physiology, metabolism, and body reactivity. He proved the effect of the nervous system on the phagocytic properties of leukocytes. Academician Abdulla Karaev created a theory about the role of red blood cells as mobile carbohydrate depots of the body.

He is the founder of the school of physiologists in the Azerbaijan SSR. Abdulla Garayev was the first director of the Institute of Physiology, which now bears his name. 

Azerbaijan State Art Gallery implements a series of virtual projects through social media accounts for art lovers to spend their leisure time at home interesting and productive.

The gallery's  projects under the hashtag  birəsər, live broadcasts with artists and virtual exhibitions are met with great interest among art lovers.

The Azerbaijan State Art Gallery has also launched a new "ARTAP " project.

The next innovation of the gallery is the first art-themed online knowledge contest "+ 5C".

You can join, participate or watch new virtual projects through the social media accounts of the Azerbaijan State Art Gallery.

Founded in 1975, Azerbaijan State Art Gallery displays more than 14,000 paintings, graphics, sculptures, decorative and applied arts and contemporary art examples. 

The main activities of the gallery include preservation and restoration of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, researches on the current situation and prospects of the fine arts and decorative-applied arts and much more. 

The majority of exhibitions in Azerbaijan and abroad are mainly composed of the works stored in the gallery. 

The State Art Gallery regularly successfully holds various art projects, lectures and other events.

The 5th International ARTS OLIMPIA Contest has been successfully held in Baku, bringing together 758 young talents form different parts of Azerbaijan and other countries.

The traditional international art Olympiad in previous years was held for two days. The number of participants grew, and in 2019 as 7,000 local and foreign participants took part in the contest.

The main goals of the contest includes the development of creative skills in young people, promotion of culture and art and straitening friendly ties between nations. 

Co-organized by Azerbaijan Youth Union and Azerbaijan Dance Association, the contest was held virtually amid COVID-19 pandemic. 

The jury included highly qualified specialists, honored workers of culture and art: director of Republican Arts Gymnasium at Azerbaijan National Conservatory Ayten Akhmadova, head of department at Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts Sabina Mehdiyeva, head of Arts Council Azerbaijan (NGO), artist Dadash Mammadov and ATA president and the head of the Azerbaijan Dance Association and board member of the Azerbaijan Youth Union Aziz Azizov. 

The contest winners were determined in various age categories in various nominations such as stringed and wind music instruments, keyboards, classical, pop and folk vocals, artistic expression, all types of dances, fashion designer, visual arts, etc.

Every year, Polish Wisla Film Festival brings the best of Polish cinema to Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey and other countries as part of the world tour. The film festival will reach Azerbaijan this fall.

Polish films will be screened at Landmark Baku Rotunda Jazz Club on November 12-17.

The feature film competition will present ten newest Polish films.

The festival was held for the first time in 2008 at the Moscow Khudozhestvenny cinema.

Today the festival covers more than 30 cities in 8 countries.

Polish Wisla Film Festival managed to catch the fancy of viewers in many other countries around the world.

The festival program traditionally includes the best feature films, documentaries, as well as the works by students and graduates of the leading Polish film schools.

Majestic Beshbarmag (Five Finger Mountain) has emerged as one of Azerbaijan's most desirable tourist destinations.

Travelers flock here by the millions to bear witness to awe-inspiring mountain which rises to 382 m above the sea level.

Known for its mythical stories, the mountain is a sacred place for regular visitation by pilgrims.

Legend has it that sometime in the ancient past prophet called Khidr traveled here in search of a life potion. Now  locals come here to pray for strength and good fortune. 

There is a mosque at the foothill of the mountain where people donate money. There is also another holly place on the way to the top: a small donation pilgrims receive, a personal blessing usually performed by whispering prayers and having their shoulders touched a few times with a stone. 

Here you can also see colorful stripes of cloth tied to its branches signifying prayers or wishes of the pilgrims.

As a tourist attraction, it’s well worth climbing to witness a fascinating view on the Caspian Sea.

In June, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order about the establishment of Beshbarmag Mountain State History, Culture and Nature Reserve.

The territory of the Beshmarmag mountain (Five Fingers) located in Siyazan's Galashikhi village was declared as Beshbarmag mountain State History and Culture and Nature Reserve.

According to the order, the State Tourism Agency will ensure management of the reserve.

The Cabinet of Ministers is entrusted to determine border and protection zone of Beshbarmag Mountain State History, Culture and Nature Reserve within two months in cooperation with the State Tourism Agency, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and Siyazan Regional Executive Power.

A special regime should be established on the territory of the Reserve within three months.

The Cabinet of Ministers is entrusted to inform the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev about the work carried out in this direction and solve other issues arising from this order.

The relevant expenses will be allocated from the funds provided for the State Agency for Tourism in the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2020.