Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

On March 17, an international scientific conference on the theme “Our Family Is the Turkic World” was held at the Main Building of ANAS.

The event was jointly organized by the Institute of History and Ethnology of ANAS and the Institute of Folklore of ANAS.

Prior to the conference, participants viewed an exhibition featuring works by young artists reflecting the spirit and national color of the Novruz holiday, as well as ethnographic materials.

Opening the conference with an introductory speech, President of ANAS Academician Isa Habibbeyli congratulated the participants on the occasion of the Ilakhir Chershenbe (last Tuesday) and the Novruz holiday, noting that this cherished day is a celebration of national unity and solidarity for the Azerbaijani people. He emphasized that Novruz is one of the sacred holidays that, over centuries, has preserved the nation’s moral and cultural values and traditions while inspiring people with new beginnings and hope. Novruz has become an important symbol uniting not only Azerbaijan but the entire Turkic world.

The head of ANAS recalled that after the return of National Leader Heydar Aliyev to political power for the second time, the Novruz holiday began to be celebrated widely at the state level, stressing that the great leader paid special attention to this traditional celebration. Academician Isa Habibbeyli noted that this policy continues successfully today and stated that the Novruz bonfire lit by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in 2021 in Shusha, at the Jidir Plain, is of strategic importance as a significant step in preserving and promoting national and moral values.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasized that Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev congratulates the Azerbaijani people every year on the eve of Novruz and celebrates this nationwide holiday together with citizens, demonstrating the special importance he attaches to strengthening national unity and social solidarity. Celebrating Novruz alongside the people confirms that the holiday is not only a traditional ceremony but also an essential component of national ideology and moral values.

He also assessed the inclusion of Novruz in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a major historical achievement in the international recognition, preservation, and transmission of this ancient holiday to future generations, thanks to the initiative and consistent efforts of First Vice-President and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva. He noted that this step ensured Novruz’s recognition worldwide as an example of universal cultural heritage.

The head of ANAS recalled that at the Presidium meeting of ANAS held on March 13, a comprehensive report on the theme “Novruz Holiday: Tradition and Modernity” was presented. He stated that historians, ethnographers, folklorists, and other researchers across various scientific institutions of the Academy study Novruz in a multifaceted manner, prepare fundamental scholarly works in this field, and explain the rituals of the holiday and their essence on a scientific basis.

In conclusion, the President of ANAS noted that in the modern era, one of the key tasks facing the Academy is to approach national traditions, especially the Novruz holiday, on a scientific basis, to accurately convey its essence to society, and to educate future generations in this direction. The work carried out in this regard is an important indicator of the contribution of Azerbaijani science to the preservation and development of national and cultural heritage.

“Today’s event is of great importance in terms of the scientific study of the common historical roots, rich ethno-cultural heritage, and folklore traditions of Turkic peoples, the discussion of research conducted in this field, and the expansion of cooperation among scholars of the Turkic world,” Academician Isa Habibbeyli stated.

Subsequently, presentations were delivered by Head of the “History and Ethnology of Turkic Peoples” Department of the Institute of History and Ethnology, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Gullu Yologlu on “Our Family Is the Turkic World,” Director of the Institute of Folklore, Doctor of Philological Sciences Hikmat Guliyev on “Novruz Holiday: Tradition and Modernity,” and Scientific Secretary of the Institute of History and Ethnology, PhD in History, Associate Professor Behman Aliyev on “Novruz Traditions and Statehood: In the Context of History and National Memory.”

The reports analyzed the rich folklore heritage, shared cultural memory, and ethno-cultural affinity of Turkic peoples on the basis of scientific facts. Particular attention was drawn to the new scientific horizons opened by the First Turkological Congress, which marks its 100th anniversary, as well as the expanding scope of research in Turkological literary studies, historiography, and folklore studies in the context of modern challenges. The formation of the concept of Turkological folkloristics, common motifs in the folklore of Turkic peoples, mythological layers, and ritual traditions were among the main topics of discussion. The presentations also interpreted, on a scientific basis, the ideological and cultural significance of Novruz both as a folklore phenomenon and in the context of statehood and national memory.

The international conference continued its work with sectional sessions titled “History and Ethnology of Turkic Peoples” and “Folklore and Literature of Turkic Peoples.”

During the sectional sessions, researchers from Azerbaijan as well as from various Turkic states and countries with Turkic populations delivered presentations on the history, ethnology, folklore, cultural heritage, and contemporary integration processes of Turkic peoples.

At the end of the event, a Novruz bonfire was lit in front of the Rare Trees Park located within the ANAS campus, and Academy staff and conference participants gathered around the bonfire, sharing the festive atmosphere.

Translation by Gulhane Aghayeva, Department of Public Relations, Press, and Information, Presidium of ANAS.

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