A presentation ceremony for the book ‘Selected Works’ of the great Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fuzuli was held at the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan.
As reported by Azernews, according to the Azerbaijan Embassy in Uzbekistan, the event was attended by prominent state and public figures, poets, writers, literary scholars, translators, and students.
The ceremony was opened by Sirajiddin Sayid, Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan, who provided a comprehensive overview of Fuzuli’s literary legacy. He noted that almost all of the poet’s works have been translated into Uzbek, and Fuzuli’s poetry is widely read and deeply respected across Turkic-speaking nations. Special attention was given to the ‘Leyli and Majnun’ poem, which holds particular cultural significance for the Uzbek people.
Following this, Akif Marifli, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Uzbekistan, highlighted that the publication of Fuzuli’s ‘Selected Works’ represents a tangible example of the systematic development of Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan cultural relations in recent years. He emphasized that the foreword written by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev adds special value to the publication, reflecting the spirit of friendship and mutual respect between the two nations, and aligns with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s policies to expand humanitarian cooperation.
The event also featured speeches by Qairat Majid, Deputy Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan; Almaz Ulvi Binnatova, Head of the Department at the Institute of Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences; Yasar Qasim (joining online); as well as Uzbek scholars Professor Maqsud Asadov and Dr. Gulbahar Ashurova, among others. Speakers underlined that Muhammad Fuzuli is not only a master of Azerbaijani literature but also one of the greatest poets of classical Eastern literature.
The book was published through a joint initiative of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan and the Uzbek Center for Islamic Civilization at Zilol Buloq Publishing House in Tashkent. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev wrote a foreword titled ‘Unity of the Uzbek and Azerbaijani Peoples’. The collection includes Fuzuli’s Divan, Leyli and Majnun, Bang Bade, Conversations of Fruits, and ghazals.
The edition was prepared by Mirza Kenjabek, who also authored the explanatory notes and glossary. In preparing the publication, manuscripts preserved at the Uzbek Center for Islamic Civilization, including Nastaliq-script copies of Divani Mowlana Fuzuli and Divani Fuzuli, as well as a copy of Divani Fuzuli aleyhir-r?hm? from the Suleymaniye Library in Turkey and the lithographic edition Divani Fuzuli maa Leyli va Majnun preserved by the Tasmuhamedov family, were used. The publication also includes previously unpublished works of Muhammad Fuzuli.