On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Azerbaijan’s national leader, the late Heydar Aliyev, a concert by Azerbaijan People’s Artist and world-renowned mugam master Alim Gasimov and his daughter Fargana Gasimova was held at the Atatürk Cultural Center, hosted by our University and the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul.
The concert, organized in honor of the 100th birthday of the late President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, the Consul General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Narmina Mustafayeva, university representatives, and many Turkish and Azerbaijani citizens.
Speaking before the concert, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Aydın University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, said: “Throughout my entire life, I have been a friend of the Turkish world who has devoted his heart and soul to Azerbaijan. Today we will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev’s birth. He dedicated his eighty-year life entirely to the Turkish world—not only to Azerbaijan, but to the entire Turkish world. He was a leader who sacrificed economically, socially, and culturally for the freedom and independence of the Turkish world. As you know, with the understanding of ‘Two states, one nation,’ he always conveyed to us the inseparable bond of Azerbaijan–Turkey friendship, like flesh and bone. What falls upon us is to pass on his philosophy, his way of thinking, and his style of governance to the generations that come after us. Through such events, we must convey all the work he carried out. Otherwise, we would be killing them. How can we keep them alive, like Atatürk, like Fatih, like Kanuni, like Attila? Only by passing on their ideas, thoughts, and deeds to the next generation. With such events, we aim to convey Heydar Aliyev’s ideas—above all, the idea of independence, above all, the idea of freedom, and above all, the freedom of one’s own flag and homeland—to the generations that follow him.”
At the event, Azerbaijan’s world-famous mugam artist Alim Gasimov and his daughter Fargana Gasimova gave a concert. Artist Alim Gasimov stated, “When we come to Turkey, we present our own music and our own resilience to the people here, and the people have great respect for Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani music. Dear Azerbaijan, dear Turkey—they have always been brothers, and may their brotherhood last long from now on.” Fargana Gasimova said, “While performing on stage here, we felt as if we were in our homeland. Therefore, it is a very exciting, honorable, and joyful day for us.”
The commemorative night concluded with the concert given in honor of Heydar Aliyev by Azerbaijan People’s Artist and world-renowned mugam master Alim Gasimov together with his daughter Fargana Gasimova.
