Ceremony on the occasion of naming of one of the streets in Belgrade after Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vagabzade

A ceremony on the occasion of naming of one of the streets in Belgrade after a prominent Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vagabzade was held on August 16, 2015, at the intersection of Borska and Pere Velimirovic streets, at the junction of three Belgrade municipalities – Rakovica, Vozdovac and Savski Venac.

The ceremony was jointly organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia and the Office of Mayor of the city of Belgrade.

Ms. Irena Vujovic, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, Mr. Eldar Hasanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia, stuff of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in Belgrade, Municipalities of Rakovica, Vozdovac and Savski Venac, Serbian intelligentsia, Azerbaijan Culture Center in Belgrade and Azerbaijanis living in Serbia attended the ceremony.

At the ceremony, Mrs. Irena Vujovic, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, and Mr. Eldar Hasanov, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, unveiled the street containing the name of Bakhtiar Vagabzade.

Speaking at the ceremony Ambassador Eldar Hasanov stated that guided by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev on marking the 90th anniversary of Bakhtiyar Vagabzade, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Serbia, upon the initiative of the Azerbaijan Culture Center in Belgrade and Azerbaijanis living in Serbia, addressed a request to the Office of Mayor of Belgrade in order to closely familiarize Serbia with the Azerbaijani poet and to name one of the streets of Belgrade in his honor.

Ambassador Eldar Hasanov underlined that the decision of the Parliament and Office of the Mayor to name one of the streets of Belgrade after the famous Azerbaijani poet was important for familiarization of friendly Azerbaijani and Serbian peoples with the literary heritage of each other and an expression of high development of friendly relations and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia. Ambassador of Azerbaijan said that in Azerbaijan people read the woks of prominent Serbian writers such as Ivo Andric and Milorad Pavic, which are translated into Azerbaijani language as well as listened to the songs of Serbian artists. Ambassador Eldar Hasanov expressed his deep gratitude to the Serbian side for the above-mentioned decision.

Ms. Irena Vujovic, Deputy Head of the Mayor of Belgrade, stated that the Serbian and Azerbaijani people were linked by strong bonds of friendship and considered naming of one of the streets of Belgrade after famous Azerbaijani poet as a contribution to the further development of strategic partnership between Serbia and Azerbaijan. She also spoke about the humanitarian projects that had been implemented by the Azerbaijani side in Serbia.

In the course of the event, Ms. Zarifa Ali-zade, the Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Belgrade, recited Bakhtiyar Vagabzade’s poems in the Serbian language.