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During her official visit to the Holy See on October 16, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with Cardinal James Harvey, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

Recalling that this was her sixth visit to the Vatican over the past 14 years, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva noted that interstate relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See have developed on a strong foundation of mutual respect and friendship. She highlighted the support provided by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in restoring several important heritage sites over the years and emphasized that this cooperation would continue in the future.

Referring to the joint participation in the opening ceremony of the Catacombs of Saint Commodilla earlier in the day, Mehriban Aliyeva said: ‘Rome is a city where both the underground and above ground can be described as an open-air museum under the sky. Our activities are structured in such a way that as soon as some projects are completed, we launch new ones. This is a very sustainable partnership, and I highly value it.’

Cardinal James Harvey expressed gratitude on behalf of the Holy See to the Azerbaijani state and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for implementing such significant restoration projects.

He noted that St. Paul played a pivotal role in laying the foundations of Catholic and Christian communities, adding: ‘The noble work you are doing is a great opportunity to get to know your country better.’ The Cardinal emphasized that a series of events will be held at St. Paul’s Basilica both now and in the future.

Highlighting the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s involvement in the restoration of the façades of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Cardinal Harvey underlined the substantial efforts made to complete this work. Considering the large number of visitors coming to Rome, he stressed that the restoration carried out with Azerbaijan’s support holds exceptional importance for ensuring safety at the site.

Following the meeting, a keepsake was presented to the Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

bp is honoured to join the people of Azerbaijan in celebrating the 140th anniversary of the birth of Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli – a towering figure in the history of Azerbaijani culture, the founder of the nation’s classical music and professional school of composition, author of the first Azerbaijani opera, and a distinguished educator, playwright and publicist, Azernews reports.

To mark this remarkable occasion, bp has published a special set of books showcasing the great composer’s invaluable legacy.

The project reflects bp’s continual commitment to supporting efforts that promote Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage and celebrate the rich history and artistic achievements of the nation.

bp hosted an event yesterday to unveil the publications and present a concert programme featuring Hajibeyli’s masterpieces The new publications include:

A collection of Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s unpublished works, compiled in two separate books;

A photo album capturing moments from his life and creative journey;

A comprehensive guidebook to the Uzeyir Hajibeyli House Museum in Baku.

Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bp’s vice president for the Caspian region: ‘It is a great honour for us to present these books in tribute to Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s extraordinary legacy and his invaluable contribution to Azerbaijan’s national music. His compositions, infused with national rhythms and coloured with international tones, created with deep artistic mastery and emotional depth, continue to inspire audiences both in Azerbaijan and around the world.

‘We hope these publications serve as a lasting recognition of his contributions and his timeless influence – not only as a composer, but also as a scholar and publicist whose legacy will continue to shape generations.’

The project was implemented by Azernashr with a total cost of 127,560 AZN ($75,035). This covered both the development and printing of the new publications, as well as the organization of the concert event.

Baku and Tabriz are exploring the establishment of a sister city partnership aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two cities, Azernews reports.

Mayor of Tabriz Yaghoub Houshyar made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd National Urban Forum of Azerbaijan (NUFA3).

He noted that Baku has already been declared a sister city with many capitals and major urban centers around the world, adding that a similar partnership with Tabriz is also possible.

‘The idea of establishing a sister city relationship between Baku and Tabriz has been discussed before,’ Houshyar said. ‘We hope that concrete steps will be taken in this direction in the near future. Based on the agreement between our heads of state, cultural weeks will be organized in three cities – one in Tabriz and another in Baku.’

The mayor emphasized that organizing such cultural events will contribute to the expansion of social and cultural ties between the two cities. The first of these events is planned to be held next year.

Speaking further, Houshyar noted that entrepreneurs from Tabriz are showing strong interest in participating in the reconstruction and development efforts in Azerbaijan’s Garabagh region.

‘There is already coordination in this area, and broader participation is possible in the future,’ he said. ‘It is natural for Tabriz-based businesses to be involved in Garabagh’s rehabilitation, education, and infrastructure projects, and this initiative is supported at the state level.’

The mayor concluded that such cooperation would not only foster city-level partnerships but also deepen the friendship and understanding between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran.

From October 17 to November 30, Sea Breeze Circus will host the premiere of a show that blends art and technology in a unified space of light, music, and visual effects, Azernews reports.

This modern circus performance reinterprets traditional genres, giving them a fresh sound.

The program will feature performances by artists from various disciplines: jugglers, acrobats, equilibrists, and clowns. Each act is designed to convey the energy of movement and the harmony between humans and space. Among the performances are aerial acrobats on fabrics and rings, a technically complex chair act, a synchronized acrobatic quartet, roller show, and visually expressive transformations.

The evening will culminate in The Hologram Circus Show – a production where animals and fantastical images come to life through 7D graphics. This is the first show of its kind in Azerbaijan, allowing the audience to experience the blend of reality and illusion.

Music, vocal fragments, and lighting design create an atmosphere where all elements of the show complement each other harmoniously.

The Hologram Circus Show invites the audience to view circus art through the lens of modern technology and experience the magic born on the boundary of the possible.

For ticket purchase, please visit iTicket.Az.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

Luka Gabrilo has been appointed as the head coach of the Azerbaijan’s national swimming team, Azernews reports.

The Swiss coach with over 15 years of experience, has previously worked in Switzerland, the USA, Israel, Romania, the Czech Republic, the Philippines, and Australia.

Under his leadership, individual athletes and national teams have won medals at European and World Championships, and qualified for the finals of the Olympic Games.

The 44-year-old coach began his professional career in Switzerland, where he worked in various roles within the Swiss Swimming Federation system from 2010 to 2017, including team manager, head coach, and director of the High Performance Center.

Later, he became the head coach of the Israeli national team and one of the heads of the delegation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Luka Gabrilo also worked in the International Swimming League (ISL), where he served as the head coach of the “Team Iron.”

Under his leadership, a team composed of 36 high-level athletes from various countries competed in the league and achieved significant success.

The new head coach was introduced to the national team members by Ogtay Atayev, the General Secretary of the Azerbaijan Swimming Federation.

It should be noted that yesterday, after 12 years of service, Rashad Abdurahmanov stepped down from his position as the head coach of the national team and was appointed as an advisor.

Azerbaijan has taken a major step in enhancing its engagement within the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), following the discussions held between President Ilham Aliyev and the D-8 Secretary-General during their meeting in Baku on March 4, 2025, Azernews reports.

For the first time, Azerbaijan is celebrating D-8 Week, a series of high-level events bringing together representatives from member countries to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors. The program features the establishment of three new centers in Azerbaijan – the D-8 Energy and Climate Center, the D-8 Media Excellence Center, and the D-8 Transport Excellence Center.

Throughout the week, Baku is hosting official meetings involving D-8 member states, including the organization’s first-ever informal retreat of D-8 Commissioners and the High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities. These discussions aim to explore institutional reforms to transform D-8 into a stronger economic bloc while expanding the organization’s agenda to include new areas such as climate resilience, urban planning, and media cooperation.

Azerbaijan became a member of the D-8 in December 2024, following the organization’s summit in Cairo – becoming the first country to join since the bloc’s foundation 27 years ago. The D-8 now includes Azerbaijan, Trkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Egypt currently holds the D-8 Chairmanship, which will be handed over to Indonesia for a two-year term starting January 1, 2026.

The High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities, hosted under Azerbaijan’s COP29 Presidency, has brought together D-8 Ministers of Climate and Urban Development, D-8 Commissioners, and leaders from major cities across the D-8 region. Many of these participants had previously attended Azerbaijan’s Third National Urban Forum, reinforcing continuity in global dialogue on sustainable urbanization and environmental action.

Through these initiatives, Azerbaijan demonstrates its growing role as a bridge between developing economies, positioning itself as a regional hub for sustainable energy, climate innovation, and South-South cooperation.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev shared a post on his social media accounts on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the liberation of Fuzuli city and Fuzuli City Day.

According to Azernews, the post reads: ‘Our Victory History: October 17, 2020 – Fuzuli.’

On October 23, Cadenza Contemporary Orchestra will hold a concert at the International Mugham Center dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of prominent representative of the national composer school, holder of the state orders “Shohrat” and “Sharaf,” and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, Khayyam Mirzazadeh (1935-2018), Azernews reports.

The concert “Khayyam Mirzazadeh – 90”, organized by the Baku Contemporary Music Society, will feature compositions by the composer written in different years: Monolog, Ohne, Pianto, and Memory.

The concert’s soloists are Aynur Akhadova (violin), Khumay Gasimzade (piano), and Farida Mammadova (soprano). Admission is free.

Since 2016, the Cadenza Contemporary Orchestra has been actively participating in both local and international festivals.

The orchestra aims to preserve the traditions of modern musical performance in Azerbaijan and develop the traditions of modern musical ensembles created in the country.

The artistic director of the orchestra is the composer Turkar Gasimzada.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

The International Documentary Film Festival will be held in Jihlava, Czech Republic, from October 24 to November 2, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan will be represented by director Matlab Mukhtarov’s short documentary film “Palaces of Memory.”

The film will compete for first place in the festival’s “Short Joy” section, which is dedicated to short documentaries. The world premiere of “Palaces of Memory” will also take place during the festival.

The documentary film was produced by Emil Najaf, under the Rental Azerbaijan production company.

“Palaces of Memory” is one of the winners of the 2024 film project support competition organized by the Azerbaijan Film Agency, aimed at supporting films in the post-production stage.

In the film, the director embarks on a search for his “first memory” in the streets of Sumgayit, the city where he was born and raised. His journey leads him to the place where this memory was formed.

This “first memory” is connected to his father, who he lost as a child, and his late grandmother. Ultimately, the search for individual memories takes the director to the traumatic experiences of Azerbaijanis in the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The festival’s travel expenses for producer Emil Najaf’s participation have been covered by the ACU. A closed screening of the film was held at the Azerbaijan Cinematographers Union on June 25 of this year.

Matlab Mukhtarov’s previous documentary “12/35” was also showcased at several international festivals.

Since its founding in 1997, the festival in Jihlava, Czech Republic, has traditionally been held at the end of October.

The Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival is considered one of the most prestigious festivals in the world for documentary films.

On this historic day, the Azerbaijan National Library has presented a virtual exhibition titled “October 17 – Fuzuli City Day” as well as a traditional book exhibition of the same name for its users, Azernews reports.

The virtual exhibition features official documents, photos, and information about Fuzuli city, as well as the restoration and reconstruction work carried out there.

The exhibition also showcases books, articles, and other materials held in the National Library’s collection, reflecting the successful implementation of the Great Return to Fuzuli, the Patriotic War, and the Great Victory. These materials are presented in both Azerbaijani and foreign languages.

You can explore the virtual exhibition using the following link.

The traditional exhibition, on the other hand, displays books in Azerbaijani and various other languages about the history of Fuzuli city, its toponyms, ancient historical and cultural monuments, the 44-day Patriotic War, the glorious victory, the heroes who made history, and the soldiers, officers, and martyrs who gave their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

October 17 marks the fifth anniversary of Fuzuli City’s liberation from Armenian occupation during the Second Garabagh War, commemorated as Fuzuli City Day.

President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree on July 31, 2023, declaring October 17 as Fuzuli City Day, to be celebrated annually.

The operation in Fuzuli was a pivotal battle on the southeastern front during the 2020 conflict. Azerbaijani forces broke through multiple Armenian defensive lines, leading to a large-scale retreat of Armenian troops.

On October 17, 2020, alongside the liberation of Fuzuli city, the Azerbaijani Army also freed seven nearby villages: Gochahmadli, Chiman, Juvarli, Pirahmadli, Musabayli, Ishigli, and Dadali.