Azerbaijani Days in Cannes

Oleg Kusov. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Azerbaijani Days take place on July 8-31 in Cannes. Vestnik Kavkaza continues to speak about the most important events of the Days.

Residents of Cannes will remember this year for two major events. In May the traditional film festival took place there. In July it is hosting Azerbaijani Days with the motto “Azerbaijan is a country of traditions and the future.” President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill ambassador Mehriban Aliyev, participated in the opening ceremony of the cultural event.

From July 8th to July 31st residents of Cannes and its guests have an opportunity to learn about the ancient Azerbaijani culture and the current development of the independent state. Exhibitions “A Look from the Past. France by Azerbaijani Artists,” “Azerbaijan is a Country of Traditions and the Future,” “Nizami Gyandzhevi” are taking place there. “The Charm of Azerbaijan in Contemporary Fashion” is a project by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which is aimed at presenting clothes traditions of the South Caucasus country and use of the traditions in contemporary fashion. The European Games which will be held in Baku in 2015 were also presented in Cannes.

French journalists stated that the high interest of France in the French Azerbaijani Days attracted Mehriban Aliyeva to participation in key events of the Days. The first lady stressed at the presentation of the first European Games: “Today Azerbaijan is one of world centers of tolerance and multiculturalism. For centuries representatives of various peoples and religions have peacefully lived and worked in our countries in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual trust and peace. And today we preserve our traditions, roots, history and respect the world's cultural variety.”

Speeches by First Lady have always been very interesting for participants of Azerbaijani Days in Cannes. Often the speeches turned into long discussions with guests of exhibitions and presentations. Many ideas and suggestions were voiced at them. Mehriban Aliyeva suggested the idea of making Qabala and Cannes twin cities. The mayor of Cannes was glad to accept the suggestion.

The choice of the cities is not accidental. The histories of Cannes and Qabala are somehow similar. The ancient fisherman’s village on the Cote d’-Azur became a popular European resort in the 1830s.

Qabala has an ancient history as well. The town is comfortably situated. Cannes is charming due to the Mediterranean Sea, while Qabala – due to the Caucasus Mountains. Ten years ago Qabala started to change. It turned from an agricultural town to a resort pearl of Azerbaijan. The transformation of Qabala can be called an Azerbaijani miracle. I visited the place two years ago. It was difficult to understand how Qabala managed to build five-star hotels, a children’s entertainment complex, the “Fitness” health resort complex, the Olympic center with football pitches in different parts of the town, a canning factory, a fortepiano factory, a new international airport, a modern bus station, wonderful roads… Since 2009 the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has been holding the International Musical Festival in Qabala annually. Musicians from the former Soviet republics, Europe, the USA and Israel participate in it.

Cannes and Qabala have something to be proud of, and they have spheres for cooperation. The start of cooperation was made by a talk between Azerbaijani First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and the Cannes’s Mayor on July 10th, 2014.

To be continued