A book launch party to celebrate the 650th birth anniversary of Azerbaijan’s great poet Imadaddin Nasimi was held on Saturday in Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine. The book І шляхом І стини постав я сам... (I Have Set Myself on the Road of Truth), a collection of poetry in Ukrainian, includes the poet’s ghazals.

The event brought together Ukraine’s most celebrated writers and poets, leading scholars, mass media representatives, includingDmitro Chistyak, Secretary of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters (AESAL); Alexander Khizhnyak, Vice Rector of  International Relations at Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, NURE; Svetlana Gorbunova-Ruban, a notable Ukrainian poet, Deputy Chief Executive Power; Seyfeddin Gurbanov, People’s Artist of Ukraine, Professor at the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts (KSADA), to name a few.

In his opening remarks, Professor Murad Omarov, Chairman of the ‘Dostlug’ Society, Merited Scientist of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Technical Sciences, shared his views on Nasimi’s literary activity, stressing the importance of the poet’s poetry in the world literary heritage.

Antonina Yakovleva, an Associate Professor of the Department of World Literature at H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, made a presentation on Nasimi’s life and literary activity.

Seyfeddin Gurbanov, a notable architect, spoke about the unveiling ceremony of a monument to Nasimi in Kyiv and other events held across Ukraine to mark the poet’s 650th birth anniversary.

Roman Bayragdar, a well-known actor, a staff member of Kharkiv Philarmonia, was the moderator of the event.

Nina Suprunenko, an honoured art worker of Ukraine; Victor Zubov, an honourable member of ‘Memorial’ Public Organization; and Lyusina Khvorostin, a famous reciter, read excerpts from Nasimi's ghazals in Ukrainian.  

In conclusion, the graduates of the ‘Friendship’ Cultural Centre presented their musical composition on Nasimi’s ghazals.

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