INVITATION TO AZERBAIJAN

The French city of Cannes is literally filled with an atmosphere of Azerbaijani culture and history. Public transport is decorated with presentation banners and posters about Azerbaijan. Practically all significant events taking place in the city are related to our history. The dream city is again hosting Azerbaijan and events dedicated to Azerbaijan's ancient and rich culture and sponsored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Probably, one could hardly find an apter platform to demonstrate Azerbaijani culture. As we know, Cannes is famous for its celebrations, regattas, film festival and utterly attractive and favourable atmosphere. The city as if lives up to its motto: "Life is a Festival". Tourists come to Cannes to "look at people" and take part in various significant events. One of them is Days of Azerbaijani Culture launched on 8 June.   

First European Running Race 

Azerbaijan will stay in Cannes till 31 July presenting its history, music, literature and classic and contemporary art. The Days of Azerbaijani Culture started with a concert programme of "Azerbaijani Jazz". It presented compositions showing the history of Azeri jazz and its modern improvisations. Also presented to the guests who came to the event were books prepared by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation on Azerbaijan's history, national and present-day music traditions. 

On the second day, the famous Boulevard Croisette saw fireworks and a running race held as part of presentation abroad of the First European Games to be held in Baku in 2015. 

"Despite the fact that the Olympics movement appeared and was subsequently revived in Europe, European Games have never been held before. It is a great honour and at the same time great responsibility for us, for Azerbaijan to host, prepare and hold competitions that will go down in history as the First European Games," Mehriban Aliyeva, the first lady of Azerbaijan, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill ambassador and head of the Organizing Committee of the First European Games, said in her speech at the ceremonial presentation of the Baku European Games 2015. 

The fist lady also said that Azerbaijan is known in the world today as a sporting state and support for sports and the Olympic movement is one of the main focuses in the policy of the state. Mehriban Aliyeva took the opportunity to invite to Azerbaijan all those wishing to see the First European Games. "I hope that as guests in our country during the First European Games, you will also be able to familiarize yourself with the history and culture of Azerbaijan and architectural monuments and traditions linking the East and the West," she said. 

The First European Games will be presented in different European countries but it is no coincidence that the first presentation took place just in France, in Cannes, the Organizing Committee head said. "France is a leading state of Europe and a centre of universal culture. This state has great achievements in sports. This is also a friendly state for Azerbaijan. I am very happy that ties between our two states, specifically in the humanitarian sphere, have reached an absolutely new level in the past few years," Mehriban Aliyeva said. 

Speaking at the event, Cannes mayor David Lisnard described Azerbaijan as the gem of the Caucasus while Cannes is the gem of the Mediterranean. Friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Cannes are getting stronger with every passing year, he said. This is the second time Days of Azerbaijani Culture have been held in Cannes, the mayor added. "Azerbaijan has rich cultural values," the Cannes mayor said voicing his certainty that the First European Games to be held in Baku next year will be organized at a high level. 

Azerbaijan is near

Then an exhibition entitled "Azerbaijan: Land of Traditions and Future" was inaugurated as part of the Days of Azerbaijani Culture. The show comprised other platforms for acquaintance with this country: "A Glance from the Past", "France through the Eyes of Azerbaijani Artists" and "Nizami Gancavi" [Ganjavi]. The opening ceremony took place at the Festivals and Congress Palace of Cannes on 10 July. 

Economic ties between Azerbaijan and France are getting stronger with each passing year, First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva said at the ceremony. "Our countries have set up cooperation in telecommunications, urban development, transport, light industry, wine making and other spheres. There are 50 French companies working in Azerbaijan and this activity benefits both sides. Azerbaijan is France's major trade partner in the South Caucasus. Our trade turnover with France is approaching two billion dollars," said Mehriban Aliyeva, the president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 

Mehriban Aliyeva also pointed out the great attention paid in Azerbaijan to the humanitarian sphere which has been uniting people and nations irrespective of their language and religion throughout history. The first lady voiced her satisfaction with humanitarian relations between France and Azerbaijan having risen to an absolutely new level: "There are hundreds of Azerbaijani students at higher educational institutions in France. Many French universities teach the Azerbaijani language and history. At the same time, a French lycee has been built and is functioning in the capital of Azerbaijan. The state of Azerbaijan has taken part in efforts to create the Louvre's  Islamic Art Department. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has helped to restore the Cathedral of Strasbourg and monuments of history and architecture in other districts of France". 

For her part, Claire-Ann Reix, the director of the Festivals and Congress Palace of Cannes, said that Azerbaijan has made successful presentations in Cannes for the second year which is valued as an important event in the city's life. Numerous tourists coming to the city also show much interest in these events, Claire-Ann Reix said. Later the Qara Qararyev State Chamber Orchestra conducted by People's Artist Teymur Goycayev gave a concert in the Festivals and Congress Palace of Cannes. Azerbaijani culture has again won the hearts of residents of the French city of Cannes. The concert displayed the wealth of Azerbaijan's music culture. 

No less interesting was another event: the show of a collection of Azerbaijan's national costumes called "Charm of Azerbaijan in Modern Fashion", created by world-renowned fashion designer Renato Balestra. 

More than 40 samples prepared by Renato Balestra for that collection were displayed to the accompaniment of Azerbaijani national music. The ornaments of traditional Azerbaijani national costumes had been widely used in the garment samples included in the collection. Carpet ornaments as well as the elements of fire and pomegranates also looked great in the collection. 

Fashion designer Renato Balestra had examined national patterns and ornaments of the Azerbaijani people with an ancient history, modified them and presented a future-oriented fashion. For the first time, the collection was presented in Baku in May 2014.  "I think the show was very interesting because it showed how Azeri women are attached to traditions and at the same time to modernity. Azerbaijan's first lady Mehriban Aliyeva played a crucial role in making this show reality, so I express my gratitude to her. I like diversity and variability. And such is today's fashion parade. I can also say that today's parade widely used Azerbaijan's symbols which comes from my love for your country," the couturier told journalists. 

Azerbaijan's national cuisine was also presented within the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Cannes. Delicious dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine was met with much interest by numerous guests. 

The holding of the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Cannes also played an important role in terms of giving a fuller idea of our country to the French public. This has been assisted by the successful activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation with its grand projects playing an important role in Azerbaijan's social, public and cultural life. The events organized as part of the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Cannes are another confirmation that the best way to communicate with people from any part of the world is through culture.