The "Year of Shusha", which we have left behind, will be remembered by numerous projects in our country and abroad. The Azerbaijan Culture Center (AMM) named after Heydar Aliyev in Tashkent also contributed with interesting literary and cultural events. Throughout the year, various events such as conferences, poetry meetings, media tours, competitions, exhibitions, and publication projects were organized and held in the brotherly country, along with the publication of articles in mass media and the airing of television programs.
In collaboration with the Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan and the Friendship Society "Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan", AMM held a competition for the best article about Azerbaijan among the media outlets of the friendly country. One of the nominations of the competition was entitled "Shusha - the cultural capital of Azerbaijan". Additionally, Uzbek journalists took part in a media trip to Azerbaijan including the territories recently liberated from occupation.
The program on Uzbek television, hosted by journalist Manuchehr Galandarzadeh, provided detailed information about the "cradle of music and poetry" of Azerbaijan, the "Conservatory of the Caucasus", and the capital of Azerbaijani culture, Shusha.
Publications, carpets, souvenirs, and costumes were presented to the "Karabakh Corner" at the "Turan" Library-Information Center in Tashkent and the AMM project in honor of the "Year of Shusha." The "Azerbaijani Ojak" named after Khurshidbanu Natavan was opened at Termiz State University as part of the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Surkhandarya Province in Uzbekistan. A large portrait of Khan's daughter, an information panel on her life and works, as well as banners, paintings, and photos related to Shusha and Karabakh are placed in "Azerbaijan Ojak". Various publications about our country are also collected here.
Within the framework of the "Year of Shusha", the poets' assembly "Majlisi-faramushan" ("Assembly of the Forgotten People"), which was active in Shusha in the second half of the 19th century, was revived, and the first gathering was held on the initiative and with the organization of the AMM. At the same time, the official opening of the meeting of poets, "Majlisi-faramushan" was held in Shusha with the participation of Azerbaijani and Uzbek poets.
Following the speeches, in front of the mausoleum of Molla Panah Vagif, people's poet Nariman Hasanzadeh, writers Ilgar Fahmi, Sayman Aruz, deputy chairman of the Uzbek Writers Union, poet Gayrat Majid, translator and literary critic Babakhan Sharif, and others recited poems on the theme of the Turkic world, unity, and solidarity. It is expected that poets from other member countries of the Organization of Turkic States will participate in a gathering of poets in Shusha in the coming years, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan and TURKSOY.
On the occasion of the 190th anniversary of the birth of Khurshidbanu Natavan and within the framework of the "Year of Shusha", AMM organized the translation and publication of her works into Uzbek, and the book titled "Khurshidbanu Natavan: I can reach the Sun" was released. The book includes photographs of the poetess's artwork as well as photographs from her personal collection. The book, published in Azerbaijani and Uzbek, has attracted much attention in both countries. The publication was exhibited at the 8th International Book Fair in Baku as well as the International Book Fair in Tashkent.
