Baku hosts Living Culture Festival

Baku has hosted the "Living Culture - Baku Cultural Awareness Festival", bringing together discussions, theatre and cinema around Azerbaijan's cultural heritage.

The festival was organized with financial support from the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations and through a joint initiative involving the State Tourism Agency, the Surakhani District Executive Authority and the "Qeyd-Social Awareness" Public Union.

The event opened with a minute of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the struggle for Azerbaijan's state sovereignty and territorial integrity, followed by the national anthem.

Speakers included Surakhani District Executive Authority head Adil Aliyev, Murad Agabayli, chairman of the Board of the Heritage Management Center, Aysel Tahirova, secretary general of the "Qeyd-Social Awareness" Public Union, and Members of Parliament Ulviyya Hamzayeva, Rizvan Nabiyev, Rovshan Muradov, Arzuxan Alizade and Vugar Iskandarov.

The speakers discussed the importance of protecting and promoting Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, passing national and cultural values on to younger generations, expanding public awareness and supporting civil society projects in the cultural sphere.

A panel discussion was also held on culture and heritage. Participants exchanged views on efforts to expand public awareness, preserve heritage sites and traditions, and make cultural heritage more accessible to the wider public.

The programme also included a performance of the children's play "The Magic Mirror" by the Baku Children's and Youth Theatre. The production was aimed at encouraging children's interest in theatre while contributing to their cultural and aesthetic development.

The festival concluded with an open-air screening of "Where Is Ahmad?", one of the classics of Azerbaijani cinema, giving participants an opportunity to watch the well-known film in an outdoor setting.

The "Living Culture - Baku Cultural Awareness Festival" focused on different aspects of Azerbaijan's culture and heritage, combining educational activities with artistic programmes. The event also provided a setting for cooperation between state institutions and civil society organizations on cultural awareness initiatives.