Istanbul Hosts Presentation of 'Standing with You, Türkiye' Book, Special Edition of Heja Magazine, and Live Concert
The stand of Azerbaijan at the 41st Istanbul International Book Fair continues to host book presentations and literary discussions.
On November 3, the second day of the fair, the book 'Standing with You, Türkiye' was presented.
Poet Salim Babullaoghlu, the secretary of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers and moderator of the event, provided details about the publication. He noted that the book, prepared by the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, is dedicated to the devastating earthquake in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, which resulted in more than 50,000 deaths and countless injuries.
The anthology brings together poems by well-known poets from Turkic states and vast Turkic geography.
The idea and foreword of the publication belong to Gunay Efendiyeva, the first president of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and deputy chairperson of the Culture Committee of the Milli Majlis.
Following this, a letter from Aktotı Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, to the participants of the presentation was read aloud.
Speeches were made by Fakhri Hajiyev, head of the Office of the Foundation; essayist and literary critic Gismet Rustamov; Azer Turan, editor-in-chief of "Adabiyyat newspaper"; and poet Farid Huseyn.
Azer Turan spoke about the devastating earthquake that struck Erzincan, Türkiye, in 1939 and mentioned that Ali Bey Huseynzadeh, a prominent Turkic thinker, poet, artist, and doctor, dedicated a poem to the tragedy.
The book, published by Mutarjim Publishing House in Baku, was compiled, translated, and edited by S. Babullaoghlu, while the language consultants are Omar Mahmatoglu, Shamsaddin Kuzachi, Maya Saparova, Zera Bekirova, and Albina Borisova.
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The special issue 2023 of the influential Turkish magazine "Heja" titled "Modern Azerbaijani Poetry" was also presented on the same day.
It was mentioned that the compilation and the preface were done by the secretary of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers, S. Babullaoghlu, and the translator is Omar Kichikmahmadoghlu. The special issue includes poems by Rasul Rza, Ali Karim, Fikret Goja, Nurangiz Gun, Vagif Samadoghlu, Alakbar Salahzadeh, Isa Ismayilzadeh, Ramiz Rovshan, Vagif Bayatli Oder, Adil Mirseyid, Zahid Sarıtorpag, Rasim Garaja, Elkhan Zal, Hamid Harischi, Azad Yashar, Salam Sarvan, Gulu Aghsas, Salim Babullaoghlu, Zahir Azamat, Agshin Yenisey, Jala Ismayil, Rabiga Nazimgizi, Gismat, Farid Huseyn, Agshin Evran, and Sakhavat Sahil.
The monthly magazine "Heja" has been published in Ankara since 1997.
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An interesting concert program of Azerbaijani artists was presented at the Istanbul International Book Fair.
People's Artist Khananda Mansum Ibrahimov performed folk and composer songs, accompanied by People's Artist Elchin Hashimov (tar), Honored Artist Elnur Ahmadov (kamancha), and Siyavush Karimov (naghara). The concert was received with great interest and applause.
After the performance, visitors to the Azerbaijani stand were treated to national sweets.
