BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 11. On the initiative of the Federation of Turkish-Azerbaijani Associations (TADEF), Azafli Azerbaijan Social Support and Culture Association, and Turkic World Culture Center, an event on the theme “Shah Ismail Khatai: Life Path and Heritage” was held in Ankara, Trend reports via Azerbaijan's State Committee for Work with Diaspora.
Meanwhile, the event was attended by diplomats, scientists, experts, and public representatives of the two brotherly countries.
The head of the Turkic World Culture Center and Azerbaijan Azafli Social Support and Culture Association, Arzuman Azafli, noted in his speech that Shah Ismail Khatai's personality had long been mistakenly associated with Persia in Türkiye. He noted that Shah Ismail Khatai laid the foundations of Azerbaijan's Safavid state.
“Shah Ismayil raised the status of the Azerbaijani language to the level of the state language and wrote lyrical and epic poems in his native language under the pseudonym Khatai,” Arzuman Azafli said.
Professor of Ankara University Abdullah Gündoğdu noted that Shah Ismail Khatai is a personality who left a deep trace in the whole region's history.
Researcher-writer Dilgam Ahmad emphasized that official correspondence in the Safavid state was conducted in the Azerbaijani language.
The event concluded with the performance of musical compositions on the poetic works of Shah Ismail Khatai.
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