Conference Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of People’s Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade Held at MDU: The Peak of Thought and Poetry

On November 14, 2025, the Department of Humanities of Mingachevir State University organized a scientific conference titled “The Peak of Thought and Poetry: Bakhtiyar Vahabzade” dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of People’s Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade. The conference, held in the university’s assembly hall, was attended by the administration of the poet’s house museum, members of the university’s academic-administrative staff, and students.

The event began with a one-minute silence in memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland, and the Turkish soldiers who lost their lives in the plane crash that occurred on November 11 of the current year, followed by the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Opening the conference, Rector of Mingachevir State University Anar Eminov spoke about the contributions of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade to Azerbaijani literature and national thought. The rector emphasized the importance of introducing the poet’s rich heritage to younger generations. In his speech, he particularly referred to Vahabzade’s poem “Love and Pneumonia” (Eşq və Sətəlcəm), highly appreciating the poet’s ability to express human love, delicate emotions of life, and spiritual struggles through poetic language. He quoted excerpts from the poem and highlighted its significance in shaping aesthetic taste and emotional sensitivity among young people.

The special guest of the event, close friend of the People’s Poet and Director of the Bakhtiyar Vahabzade House Museum Elshan Zakariyyabayli, shared personal memories related to the poet’s life and творчество. He described the organization of such a prestigious conference at MDU as a clear example of the high value attached to the legacy of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade. It was emphasized that holding such events at the university is especially important for promoting interest in classical heritage among students and supporting national literature within the university’s scientific and cultural environment.

Elshan Zakariyyabayli presented books brought from the house museum of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade to Rector Anar Eminov and expressed gratitude for the attention and respect shown to the poet’s legacy at the university.

Afterwards, presentations were delivered according to the conference program.

From the Department of Humanities of Mingachevir State University:

  • Associate Professor Namaz Manafov delivered a presentation titled “Bakhtiyar Vahabzade and 20th Century Azerbaijani Poetry”.
  • Associate Professor Sadraddin Huseyn spoke on “National and Moral Values in the Works of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade”.
  • Associate Professor Gunel Yunusova presented “A Call for the Struggle for Freedom and Independence in the Poem Gulustan”.
  • Senior Lecturer Saadat Agakishiyeva delivered a report on “National Self-Awareness in Bakhtiyar Vahabzade’s Journalism”.
  • Lecturer Fakhriyya Isayeva spoke on “At the Intersection of Human and Society: Social Problems in Bakhtiyar Vahabzade’s Poems”.
  • Lecturer Sona Mammadova presented “From Silence to Word, from Word to Nation: The Path of Bakhtiyar”.

At the end of the conference, the winners of the essay competition titled “The Cry of My Nation in Bakhtiyar’s Verses” were also awarded.

It should be noted that a series of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade continue to be held at Mingachevir State University.