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Azerbaijanâ€™s â€œFlying Carpet to Fairytaleâ€ exhibition held in London

22 November 2010 08:27 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The major exhibition Azerbaijan: Flying Carpet to Fairytale was held on 15-21 November in London. The exhibition was opened with a gala evening event. Attracting around 380 high-level guests, this reception and exhibition attracted a host of dignitaries, including Lord Mandelson; Lord Browne of Madingley; H.E. Unal Ã‡evikÃ¶z, Ambassador of Turkey to the UK; H.E. Fakhraddin Gurbanov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK; H.E. Aleksan Mikhnevich, Ambassador of Belarus to the UK; H.E. Volodymyr Khandogiy, Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK; and H.E. Kyu Ho Choo, Ambassador of Korea to the UK. The exhibition was organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UK and Baku magazine.

The event opened with a speech from Leyla Aliyeva, Head of the Heydar Aliyev Foundationâ€™s Representation in Russia. She commented: â€œThe purpose of this exhibition is to transport you to the fairytale world of Azerbaijan. We are often told that east is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet. But in Azerbaijan, east and west work together. Hopefully we will capture something of this atmosphere tonight. In 1918, the frst Azerbaijani Republic was proclaimed, being the first democracy in the east, also granting the vote to all women. The first eastern opera house and concert halls were constructed in the country. In short, Azerbaijan introduced the east to the west, and all of Europe came to know about the world of the Azerbaijani carpet. This exchange of cultures and values continues to this day, and carpets are part of our national identity. May the magic carpets transport you from the west to the east.â€

Ambassador Fakhraddin Gurbanov, Chairman of Anglo-Azeri Society Lord Fraser and Minister for Communications, Culture and the Creative Industries Ed Vaizey also addressed the event.

After the opening event, all guests descended to the carpet-strewn crypt gallery, where they had a chance to sample Azerbaijani food and drink, witness carpet weaving, and hear Azerbaijani mugham musicians and singers. They also had chance to learn about the seven schools of carpet design by viewing the exhibition. Major emphasis was placed on the Garabagh (Karabakh) school, noted for its leaf-like ornamentation. These designs originated from the Nagorno-Karabakh region, currently under Armenian occupation.