Azerbaijan donates carpet to Polish Museum on eve of Victory Day

Link: https://azertag.az/

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Poland, with the support of the country's National Commission for UNESCO, has donated the "Malibayli" carpet, a true gem of Karabakh weaving school, to the Asia and Pacific Museum of Poland.

The ceremony was attended by deputy chair and members of the Polish-Azerbaijani parliamentary group, representatives of the diplomatic corps, officials, Polish scientists and artists, local media representatives, as well as Azerbaijanis living in this country.

Józef Zalewski, Director of the museum, thanked the Azerbaijani embassy in Poland for a donated carpet, believing it will serve as a bridge between the two cultures. He emphasized that this gift symbolizes the mutual respect and shared cultural values of Azerbaijan and Poland, reinforcing their friendship.

In her remarks, Ambassador Nargiz Gurbanova spoke about Azerbaijani carpet weaving, highlighting its ancient history, strong traditions, and rich experience. She noted that Azerbaijan has historically had seven distinct carpet-weaving schools, categorized by their geographical location, design, composition, colour selection, and technical characteristics. The ambassador emphasized that for centuries, carpet weaving has been a crucial part of Azerbaijani culture and art, with carpets acting as symbols of the nation's spirit and a way to record historical events.

Nargiz Gurbanova also highlighted the significance of Victory Day for the Azerbaijani people. She described the Victory as a multifaceted achievement that extends beyond military success to include spiritual, historical, and cultural dimensions. It meant the rebirth of life - the reconstruction of museums, theatres and religious shrines, the return of music, crafts and traditions. The diplomat noted that the Shusha branch of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, which reopened to visitors in 2023 after 31 years, is a vivid example of this revival.

The ambassador also provided detailed information about the “Malibayli” carpet donated to the museum, expressing her confidence that it would contribute to the museum's efforts to promote intercultural understanding and Eastern heritage.

The ceremony also featured thew screening of a video highlighting the traditional art of Azerbaijani carpet weaving.

As part of the event, Ambassador Nargiz Gurbanova gave an interview to the “Dobrego dnia” program broadcast on the Polish TVP television.

Elgun Niftali
Special correspondent of AZERTAC
Vienna