The Azerbaijani community in Moscow has commemorated the talented journalist, great writer and notable screenwriter Farkhad Agamaliyev. He passed away unexpectedly for everyone – his heart stopped.
He has never bore anything inside and has always shared his success and failures with others. He had a lot more success and we who worked with Farkhad Muallim have enjoyed them and discussed his plans together. We argued about his future book, envied his dreams about life and creativity on the sea coast of Bulgaria he strived for, were happy with the first steps and words of his granddaughter Nikusya. But his sudden death changed everything.
He was a stream of fresh air for the crew, a gust of spring wind. He used to enter saying “So how are we doing?” and without receiving a reply he would say “You know, old man, this is what I want to tell you...”. He would then tell a new anecdote, one he had plenty of.
He was exceptionally dynamic, lively and active. It was hard to believe that the man with sparkly eyes and smile was over 60. He was a miraculous firework of humour and wit, a walking encyclopedia, a passionate addict of Russian poetry, works of his compatriots brothers Strugatskys and a fan of Spartak Moscow FC.
He was not just an editor, he was a friend and a teacher . He could explain how to make materials more clear and interesting for hours. He was not just a writer, he was naturally talented. He was taking the most complicated topics and themes. Every line of his, every phrase was a full idea with points, whether his recalls of childhood “Bakinstvo”, romantic “Moon Over Janali” the “Return to the Homeland” essay.
He loved Baku and Moscow. The country of his childhood, Azerbaijan, and the country where he grew up and worked for over 40 years, Russia. He was both an Azerbaijani and a Muscovite. But he was not a show-off patriot, he had a clear civil position, unbreakable will, especially in problems of both homelands. He could not remain silent when he saw injustice next to him. Neither in the late 1980s when the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was starting, nor after, when Russia was determining its attitude towards the conflict and new resolutions of the UNSC were left unnoticed. He spoke and wrote about it as the Editor-in-Chief of the “Panorama Azerbaijana” Moscow paper, “Vostochny Express” magazine, head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia and the Azerbaijansky Kongress paper.
It is sad and painful to see when people so bright, strong and just, exigent to themselves and honest with others, leaving. People were always ready to offer a helping hand, support with words and actions. We will all miss the courteous and humorous, a bit old-fashioned, honest and pure-souled man...
The crew of Vestnik Kavkaza expresses condolences to relatives of Farkhad Agamaliyev and will always respect his memory with honour. As his compatriot S.A. Shirvani said, physical leave does not mean death, because his words still remain. Farkhad managed to fulfill the legacy of great Fizuli, he left many words, they are all strong enough to revive the author. Such people never leave indeed, they may stay in both worlds.
Farkhad Agamaliyev was born in Baku in 1946. He was writing stories and publicist materials for republican and other soviet press.
He graduated at the screenwriting subdepartment of the All-Union State Institute for Cinematography. His works were used in films, documentaries in Baku, Moscow, Sverdlovsk, Minsk. His “The Arrow and Target” play was staged in Baku.
Farkhad Agamaliyev was also an observer of the “Sovetskaya Kultura” paper, Editor-in-Chief of the “Panorama Azerbaijana” Moscow paper, “Vostochny Express” magazine. He was the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia, head of the section for diasporas in the “Azerbaijansky Kongress” paper and cooperating with the “Baku” magazine since 2005.
