Category: Azer News

Urban planning and construction regulations will be analyzed in Azerbaijan, taking into account the green construction and green building approaches to mitigate the climate change impacts in cities, Azernews reports.

Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed the relevant decree.

According to the decree, the State Urban Planning and Architecture Committee, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Health and the Center for Legal Expertise and Legislative Initiatives, must analyze urban planning and construction legislation taking into account the “green construction” and “green building” approaches to reduce the impacts of climate change in cities, study international experience and submit proposals for improving regulatory legal acts to the Cabinet of Ministers within four months.

International Mugham Center has hosted a magnificent concert featuring Azerbaijan’s traditional folk instruments as part of the project “Azerbaijani mugham”, Azernews reports.

The concert aimed to fuse classical performance traditions with modern interpretations, highlighting the rich heritage of Azerbaijan’s musical culture through a contemporary lens.

The concert program included performances by artists playing traditional instruments such as the tar, kamancha, saz, and qanun.

This initiative, dedicated to preserving and passing down the art of Azerbaijani folk music, also contributes to the development of instrumental performance. The project is set to present concerts once a month, offering music lovers a chance to experience this vibrant cultural heritage.

Honored Artists Farida Malikova,Ilham Najafov, and their students, as well as instrumentalists Ramin Rzayev, Rufat Hasanov, Natavan Hasanova, Mirhuseyn Asadullayev, Mehta Mehammadalizade, Aygul Gadirova, Gelbinur Ibrahimli, Vagif Tahmazov, and Mirnofel Hasanov delighted the audience with their performances.

Accompanying the musicians were Svetlana Ahmedova, Rena Zakiyeva, Lale Ahmadova, Orkhan Sultanov, Eldar Zerbaliyev, Ruhulla Dadasov, and Vefadar Ramizzade.

The next concert in the series will take place on February 23.

Founded on the initiative of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, the Mugham Center was established in accordance with a presidential decree dated April 6, 2005.

Construction of the center began the same year, and the building, recognized today as one of Baku’s most distinctive architectural landmarks, officially opened in 2008.

Since then, the Mugham Center has consistently hosted large-scale music festivals and concerts featuring prominent and internationally renowned cultural figures. Alongside its concert activities, the center actively works to strengthen cultural cooperation with countries such as Turkiye, Poland, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and others.

Committed to the preservation and global promotion of Azerbaijani musical heritage, the International Mugham Center continues to expand its activities. Numerous projects are underway aimed at researching, safeguarding, and popularizing the art of mugham.

A landmark achievement was reached in 2025, when the Mugham Center became the first cultural institution in Azerbaijan to receive international status through legislation. This designation has also played a significant role in improving the social and financial conditions of the center’s staff, reinforcing its position as one of Baku’s leading concert venues.

In recent years, and particularly over the past year, the International Mugham Center has experienced a noticeable increase in interest, especially among tourists attending mugham and ethno-music concerts. During the 9th Mugham Television Contest, the center hosted numerous performances that attracted a wide and diverse audience.

Regular monthly events appeal to both professional musicians and general music lovers. Promotional banners placed around the venue help draw the attention of tourists, many of whom stop during the day to admire the center’s impressive architecture while anticipating evening performances.

This growing international appeal was especially evident during the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when numerous racing fans and visitors to Baku also took part in the International Mugham Center’s rich musical program.

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) welcomed representatives from Uzbekneftegaz JSC, KazMunayGaz JSC, and Tatneft PJSC at its Carbamide Plant on February 4, continuing efforts to exchange best practices in industrial safety, labor protection, and emergency management.

Azernews reports that the visit was part of ongoing cooperation under the Memorandum of Cooperation signed on March 4, 2025, between SOCAR and the partner companies. According to SOCAR Downstream, the memorandum facilitated a successful exchange of expertise throughout 2025, with all planned events implemented.

During the visit, guests received an overview of the plant’s operations and were presented with advanced practices in digital solutions, industrial and environmental safety, labor protection, and health. Discussions focused on sharing knowledge and experiences, with the parties highlighting the importance of further strengthening cooperation in industrial safety and labor protection.

This initiative reflects SOCAR’s commitment to regional collaboration, promoting safety standards and technological exchange across the energy sector in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Gabala, one of Azerbaijan’s most scenic regions, has once again become a gathering place for art enthusiasts with the opening of the International Music Festival, Azernews reports.

Organized by the Baku Music Academy with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, and “Gilan,” the 2nd Winter Tale International Music Festival is being held in Gabala for the second year in a row. The event continues the long-standing tradition of the Gabala International Music Festival, which has been hosted in the city since 2009.

According to the festival program, the opening concert took place on the evening of February 5 at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center in Gabala. The concert, dedicated to the musical legacy of the outstanding composer Gara Garayev, featured performances by People’s Artists Farhad Badalbeyli and Murad Adigozalzade, accompanied by the Azerbaijan State String Quartet.

Prior to the concert, Professor of the Baku Music Academy and People’s Artist Zahra Guliyeva addressed the audience, highlighting the importance of the 2nd Gabala Winter Tale International Music Festival for the country’s cultural life. She noted that a distinctive feature of the Gabala International Music Festival is the tradition of holding chamber music evenings before the official opening. The evening’s chamber concert was dedicated to the cherished memory of the eminent composer, public figure, and exceptional educator Gara Garayev, whose contributions to world music and influence on generations of composers are invaluable.

The program included Gara Garayev’s String Quartet No. 2 in A minor (two movements), music from the film Man Settles, Preludes in A major and F major, as well as Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet (III and IV movements) and Johannes Brahm’s Piano Quintet (III and IV movements). The performances by People’s Artists Farhad Badalbeyli and Murad Adigozalzade on piano, together with the Azerbaijan State String Quartet-Nazrin Aslanli (violin), Khayala Abdullayeva (violin), Vakhtang Imanov (viola), and Aleksey Miltykh (cello)-were met with great appreciation from the audience.

The 2nd Winter Tale International Music Festival in Gabala offers a rich and diverse program.

Throughout the festival, audiences will enjoy a concert by the Symphony Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater conducted by Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev, attend the chamber music evening “Baku-Naples: Music Bridge” featuring works by Azerbaijani and Italian composers, and experience performances by guest musicians and dancers from Spain at the flamenco-jazz evening titled “Azerbaijan-Spain: Two Countries, One Music.”

Scientists at Stanford University have created the first global map of earthquakes occurring not in the Earth’s crust, but in the deeper layers of the planet’s mantle. The results, published in the journal Science, open new avenues for studying Earth’s internal processes, from the movement of tectonic plates to the origins of widespread destructive earthquakes, Azernews reports.

Most earthquakes are recorded in the Earth’s crust, typically at depths of 10 to 30 kilometers. The mantle, by contrast, is a warmer and more ductile layer, long thought to be unfavorable for accumulating the stresses necessary for seismic ruptures. However, data collected over recent decades show that rare but real earthquakes do occur in the mantle.

By analyzing seismic data from around the world, the researchers identified 459 ‘continental mantle earthquakes’ that have occurred since 1990. These events are unevenly distributed, with the densest clusters found in the Himalayas, along the Bering Strait, and other tectonically active regions.

Importantly, these earthquakes occur beneath continents, not in subduction zones where oceanic plates dive deep into the mantle-locations where deep tremors have long been documented. In some cases, the sources of these events were located at depths exceeding 80 kilometers below the Mohorovicic boundary (commonly known as the ‘Moho’), the transition zone between the crust and mantle.

The study’s breakthrough came from a new method of analyzing seismic waves. Scientists compared two types of vibrations: one traveling through the crust, and the other through the upper mantle. By examining the ratio of these signals, they could accurately determine the depth of the earthquake source. According to the authors, this method fundamentally changes how deep earthquakes are studied, allowing them to be identified by the ‘signature’ of the waves themselves, rather than indirect indicators.

Mantle earthquakes occur at such great depths that they pose no direct threat to people or infrastructure. Nevertheless, their significance is profound. These deep quakes provide a unique window into processes at the crust-mantle boundary and in the upper mantle, where magma forms and tectonic forces are generated.

The researchers suggest that some mantle earthquakes may be responses to strong fluctuations in the crust, while others may be driven by internal mantle convection, including the recycling of subducting crustal plates. Understanding these processes could improve our ability to predict where surface earthquakes may occur and refine models of Earth’s internal structure.

The newly created map is considered conservative. Scientists believe the actual number of mantle earthquakes is much higher, especially in remote regions with sparse monitoring networks, such as the Tibetan Plateau. Expanding seismic monitoring and applying advanced analytical methods will likely reveal many more deep events in the coming years.

According to the study’s authors, earthquakes in the crust and mantle should be viewed as parts of a single, interconnected system, where deep and surface processes are closely linked. Understanding this relationship is a key step toward more accurate assessments of natural hazards and a deeper understanding of the dynamic Earth beneath our feet.

The smoke has cleared from the ruins of the Khadijatul Kubra Mosque, but the acrid stench of failure now hangs over the entire capital.

In a grotesque escalation of the sectarian bloodshed that has scarred Pakistan for decades, a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside the Khadijatul Kubra Mosque also known as the Tarlai Imambargah in southeastern Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area during Friday prayers, slaughtering at least 31 worshippers and wounding over 169 others. The blast, which targeted a Shia congregation in one of the capital’s ostensibly secure outskirts, transformed a sacred haven into a slaughterhouse of rubble, blood, and anguish, with debris strewn across the prayer hall and frantic rescuers pulling mangled bodies from the wreckage.

Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of unmitigated horror: survivors staggering through smoke-filled chaos, screaming for aid as the acrid stench of explosives mingled with cries of the dying. Hospitals across the city, including major facilities like the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, declared emergencies, overwhelmed by the surge of critically injured victims-many with shrapnel wounds, burns, and traumatic amputations. Initial reports underestimated the carnage at 10-20 fatalities, but the toll climbed relentlessly to 31 as more bodies were unearthed from the debris, a grim tally that underscores not just the attack’s lethality but the state’s sluggish response. Preliminary investigations suggest the perpetrator was a suicide bomber, possibly a foreign national affiliated with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), groups infamous for their genocidal campaigns against Shia minorities. No group has claimed responsibility, but the fingerprints of these extremists are unmistakable in a nation where sectarian hatred festers unchecked.

This atrocity is no mere “isolated incident”it is a searing indictment of the Shehbaz Sharif government’s catastrophic incompetence, a regime that prioritizes political survival over the sanctity of human life. For years, Pakistan’s Shia community, comprising roughly 20% of the population, has endured a relentless barrage of targeted violence, with mosques and religious processions turned into killing fields by militant outfits like the TTP and its splinter factions. The 2023 Peshawar mosque bombing, which obliterated over 100 lives inside a purportedly fortified police compound, should have been the catalyst for sweeping reforms. Instead, it revealed the same festering decay: intelligence blackouts, woefully inadequate protections for vulnerable sites, and a government entangled in political intrigue rather than resolute counter terrorism.

Today’s carnage in Islamabad, the epicenter of national power, housing federal institutions, foreign embassies, and military bastions-lays bare the depths of this negligence. Despite a labyrinth of checkpoints, surveillance networks, and patrols that ostensibly safeguard the elite, a bomber infiltrated a mosque during peak prayers, exposing a security perimeter as porous as it is performative. Shia leaders had issued repeated alerts about escalating threats, including suspicious loitering around religious sites, yet security provisions remained superficial at best. The Islamabad Police’s delayed arrival, hampered by “jurisdictional hurdles” in a city engineered for rapid response, is nothing short of criminal dereliction. How could explosives breach the capital’s defenses? The answer reeks of misplaced priorities: billions siphoned into military escapades against phantom external foes, while domestic militancy thrives amid economic collapse and political paralysis.

In the ghastly aftermath, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari offered the nation the same scripted liturgy of grief. Their words-“heinous,” “barbaric,” “unacceptable”-are the empty echoes of ghosts, leaders who rule from behind bulletproof glass, utterly disconnected from the terror experienced by citizens who simply wish to pray in peace. What is the value of a ‘full force’ that mobilizes only after the screams have faded? What is the meaning of ‘resolve’ demonstrated solely in press releases? The people see the truth: a government that can lockdown an entire city to arrest a political rival cannot secure a single house of worship. A security apparatus that functions with ruthless efficiency to guard the corridors of power goes lethally dormant when the powerless are threatened.

Law enforcement institutions, gorged on taxpayer funds yet riddled with corruption and cronyism, share the bloodstained blame. The Punjab Police and federal agencies boast a sordid history of dismissing minority pleas for safeguards, as evidenced by assaults on Ahmadiyya mosques where officers have not only failed to intervene but occasionally spearheaded the vandalism. In this latest outrage, social media erupts with righteous fury: users decry the government’s “helpless spectator” posture, with one post lamenting the “Shia vs Sunni bloodbath” and another spotlighting the soaring death toll while interrogating how such a “deadly explosion” could pierce a “secured” capital. X feeds pulse with outrage, one viral clip capturing worshippers in shock outside the mosque, a verified testament to the blast’s immediacy. These digital laments amplify a national scream: Why do checkpoints proliferate for VIP convoys while mosques remain death traps?

At the apex of this institutional rot stands Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, whose stewardship of internal security has proven disastrously inept. Appointed in March 2024 amid controversy over his media empire and concurrent role as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Naqvi’s divided loyalties symbolize the government’s frivolity-prioritizing cricket spectacles over countering terror. Under his watch, intelligence coordination has crumbled, surveillance gaps have widened, and minority protections have evaporated. His ministry’s “reviews” and “task forces” post-attack are mere theater, cosmetic bandages on a hemorrhaging wound. Naqvi’s failure to fortify places of worship, despite documented spikes in militant activity spilling from Afghanistan’s borders, borders on malfeasance. How many more massacres must stain his tenure before accountability bites?

The journalistic corps must confront its own complicity. Too frequently, media giants regurgitate official spin, smothering tales of systemic collapse beneath tabloid sensationalism. We demand unyielding scrutiny: independent inquiries that pierce the veil of “ongoing investigations” destined for dusty shelves, not perfunctory probes that vanish into the ether.

This explosion transcends tragedy; it is the crimson yield of protracted governmental apathy, law enforcement’s collusion, and ministerial ineptitude. As Islamabad grieves under a pall of fear-vigils flickering amid cordons, communities bracing for reprisals-the stark query looms: How many innocents must perish before Pakistan’s overlords reckon with their culpability? The capital, meant to embody stability and justice, now symbolizes fragility and betrayal. Cosmetic lockdowns and aerial drones offer no salve; what the nation craves is a seismic overhaul-dismantling terror networks, shielding minorities, and purging the corrupt. Anything less dishonors the dead and courts further apocalypse. The fuse is lit; the reckoning must ignite reform, or watch the republic burn.

Western Europeans increasingly prioritise Europe’s autonomy and shared values over maintaining close transatlantic ties, according to a new YouGov poll showing public opinion of the United States at its lowest level since the survey began a decade ago.

As reported by Azernews, citing Guardian, the decline in sentiment is largely attributed to actions and rhetoric associated with US President Donald Trump, including his renewed comments on Greenland. The issue has resonated particularly strongly in Denmark, where Greenland is a self-governing territory, accelerating a broader erosion of trust in the US across Europe.

Majorities in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom now hold unfavourable views of the United States. Negative perceptions range from 62% in France to 84% in Denmark, marking a significant increase even since November, when unfavourable ratings stood between 49% and 70% across the same countries.

Azerbaijan has approved new regulations governing the Akhar-Bakhar and Ilisu national parks, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree endorsing the regulations. The document assigns responsibility to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to address issues related to the implementation of the decree and ensure its effective enforcement.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mikhail Yevdokimov, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on February 6, 2026, Azernews reports via the ministry.

According to the MFA, during the meeting the Azerbaijani side expressed a strong protest over a statement made the previous day by Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, and a member of the ruling United Russia Party, regarding the sentencing of citizens of the Republic of Armenia in Azerbaijan. A corresponding diplomatic note was handed to the Russian side.

The MFA strongly condemned Zatulin’s long-standing statements directed against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and his open support for separatism, as well as his attempts to distort court decisions concerning Armenian citizens convicted of crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes committed as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, along with his use of unacceptable language.

During the meeting, the Russian side was urged to take appropriate measures to put an end to the destructive activities of individuals such as Zatulin, whose actions undermine peace and stability in the region and damage relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.

A new scientific seminar has been held at the Institute of Information Technologies of the Ministry of Education and the Science, Azernews reports citing Azertag.

During the seminar, a presentation titled “Preservation and Relevance of National Identity in the Context of Digital Transformations: Smart Novruz Bonfire” was delivered, prepared as part of the scientific collaboration between the Institute of Information Technologies and the Folklore Institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).

In his speech, Vice-President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Director-General of the Institute of Information Technologies, Academician Rasim Aliyev, outlined that digital transformation is rapidly penetrating all areas of society, and virtual processes have not been immune to the national customs, traditions, and ceremonies.

He stated that the processes of folklorization in the internet environment are closely linked to both national and global changes, noting especially that the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies in recent years has led to revolutionary innovations, providing new opportunities for the study of cultural heritage.

The academician also pointed out that, in recent years, fruitful research has been conducted in collaboration between the ANAS Institute of Information Technologies and the Folklore Institute regarding the contemporary issues of internet folklore, the relationship between artificial intelligence and folklore, as well as the effects of digital transformations on folklorization processes, resulting in significant scientific and innovative outcomes. He noted that studying traditional ceremonies like the Novruz bonfire from the perspective of modern requirements and exploring both their positive and negative aspects is a demand of the current age.

Academician Aliyev emphasized that such research serves national interests and the preservation of national identity in both real and virtual spaces, while the development of technologies for the implementation of customs and ceremonies on digital platforms has become one of the crucial priorities.

Director of the Folklore Institute, Doctor of Philology Hikmat Guliyev, delivered a report on the preservation of national spiritual values in the context of modern technological challenges.

The speaker evaluated the relevance of the problem through the lens of globalization and digitalization risks to national identity, referring to Marshall McLuhan’s “global village” concept, Manuel Castells’ theory of the “network society,” Stuart Hall’s views on identity, and Margaret Mead’s ideas on cultural change. Additionally, he used Richard Bauman’s concept of the ritual’s performative nature to explain the risk of national customs and ceremonies losing their social function, and he stressed the need to “reactualize” cultural heritage, as well as ensure the preservation of national identity in new communicative environments with the help of digital technologies.

The speaker examined the Novruz holiday, particularly the Novruz bonfire, as a prime example of national customs and traditions in this conceptual framework, analyzing its new functional models in modern conditions.

Academician Guliyev drew attention to the reciprocal relationship between technological transformations and folklore, noting that scientific and technological progress, along with information revolutions, have created epochal changes and that social and demographic processes have deeply transformed the socio-cultural environment, giving rise to new channels for the expression of folk knowledge. He stressed that the communicative dynamics directly associated with technological progress have affected the “migration” of folk knowledge-from rural areas to cities, and then to the virtual world.

“Virtualization and digitalization not only condition technological changes but also socio-technological and techno-cultural transformations,” said Hikmat Guliyev, discussing the problems posed by urbanization, digitalization, and virtualization.

He also addressed issues such as the adaptation of traditions to modern life, the formation of folkloric behavior models in digital and virtual environments, and the need to preserve national identity, especially among younger generations.

The speaker highlighted new challenges facing folklore studies, stressing the importance of exploring ways to preserve national identity in the digital environment, developing models for the reactualization of resources that carry national and spiritual values, adapting traditional behavior and worldviews to new social life styles, and determining the theoretical and practical foundations for the transformation of traditional cultural creativity to digital platforms.

Referring to international experience, the scholar reminded participants of UNESCO’s 2003 “Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” and considered the inclusion of Novruz in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 as an important achievement in terms of international recognition of national identity.

The speaker also addressed the social and mythological functions of one of the main symbols of Novruz, the bonfire. He pointed out that while the bonfire is seen as a symbol of purification, renewal, and social unity in collective cultural memory, in modern urban and rural environments, it is associated with fire hazards, environmental, and other risks.

Doctor of Philology Hikmat Guliyev, referring to recent incidents involving fires and injuries during Novruz celebrations, said that this situation creates a serious dilemma between tradition and public safety, and calls for alternative models and technological solutions. In this context, he presented the concept of a “Smart Novruz Bonfire.” The concept involves a digital or physical model (such as a synthetic Christmas tree) of the bonfire that does not pose a fire hazard but preserves its social, spiritual, and symbolic essence.

The scholar emphasized that the technological capabilities of the smart Novruz bonfire would include holographic flame simulation, internet connectivity, virtual and augmented reality technologies, allowing Azerbaijanis living in different countries to gather online around the “bonfire.”

“As a result, the ‘Smart Novruz Bonfire’ concept could bring together Azerbaijanis from around the world, fostering integration around shared values in the symbolic-spiritual domain, preserving national identity, and strengthening ties to language, culture, and the homeland,” he noted.

Following the presentation, a wide-ranging discussion took place, with questions being answered.

Academician Rasim Aliyev then shared his thoughts on the presentation, offering suggestions and recommendations. He reminded participants that in accordance with a decree by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, 2026 has been declared the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture” and highlighted that multi-faceted, multidisciplinary approaches to national customs and traditions would be required during this year, particularly with respect to the specific characteristics of modern urban life. “The urban environment must be safe and clean, not posing a risk to human life. For example, during Novruz celebrations, lighting bonfires can sometimes lead to damage to asphalt, disruptions in traffic, and the blocking of roads. Additionally, forcing children to jump over the bonfire creates life-threatening risks and can lead to serious psychological and physical health problems,” said the academician.

Academician Aliyev noted that the transformation of national customs in the context of globalization and cultural interactions is ongoing, but emphasized that the main goal is not to forget or distance from national values. Instead, the aim is to preserve the warmth, friendliness, reconciliation, and socialization embodied by Novruz and similar values, while reactivating these traditions in the context of modern challenges and eliminating their negative aspects:

“The synthesis of digital and cultural transformations results in new approaches and innovations, which require a fresh perspective on national customs.”

He emphasized that customs are not static, but transform over time under the influence of political, ideological, and technological factors. He praised the idea of the smart bonfire as an example of cultural transformation under the impact of digital transformations and as one of the socio-technological innovation projects.

Addressing the technological aspects of the digital bonfire concept, the academician pointed out the need for the creation of social networks for “Smart Novruz Bonfire” on internet platforms for various groups, the storage and archiving of collected data in individual family cloud systems, as well as the implementation of biometric recognition systems. He noted that the “Digital Novruz Bonfire” model, based on these innovations, could serve as both a family memory and a valuable resource for researchers.

Academician Aliyev concluded by stressing the importance of implementing digital solutions like the smart bonfire in ensuring inclusivity in society, noting that such initiatives would provide convenience and equal communicative opportunities for people unable to participate in family ceremonies due to illness, physical limitations, or distance. He also emphasized that the smart bonfire idea would unite Azerbaijanis living in different countries, ensuring their solidarity, virtual unity, and socio-cultural ties.

In closing, the academician underscored the necessity of expanding research on the impact of artificial intelligence and other advanced digital technologies on folklore and folk culture, as well as developing the conceptual and technological foundations for the creation of the “Digital Novruz Bonfire” and attracting the attention of the public, relevant organizations, and companies to these issues.