A solemn event was held at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University (ASOIU) within the framework of the 130th anniversary of the poet of independence of Azerbaijan, Ahmad Javad, who devoted his life to the struggle for the freedom of his people. At the event that began with the performance of the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is a masterpiece of the poet, the memory of all our martyrs who gave their lives for the independence of Azerbaijan and the integrity of our land was honoured with a minute of silence in the person of Ahmad Javad.
Speaking at the event, the Head of the Department of Humanities, Professor Jamal Mustafayev, commented on the socio-political processes during Ahmad Javad's lifetime, talked about the difficult times of the Soviet regime, Stalinist repressions, tragedies that occurred hundreds of people, including Ahmad Javad. He noted that Ahmad Javad, branded by the Soviet authorities as an "enemy of the people", is a great unforgettable poet, a famous educator and a public figure who wanted to see Azerbaijan independent and his native people happy and sacrificed his life for this.
Later, PhD Vafa Abbasova made presentations on "Personality of Ahmad Javad" and Associate Professor Ruslan Mammadov - "Ahmad Javad and the Turkish literary environment".
After the end of the official part of the event, the documentary performance "The Witness and the Martyr Poet" was presented in the second part, prepared by university students. In this performance, Ahmad Javad appeared before the audience as a teacher, poet, friend and, finally, a patriot who was martyred for the sake of a common cause. In addition to Ahmad Javad, his associates Hussein Javid, Mikayil Mushfik and the poet's wife, Shukria, also appeared in the scenes.
Thanks to the highly well-chosen roles and professional staging, the audience was shown a high-level performance, each fragment of which caused a storm of applause, even though students played the characters. In parallel with the performance, a film was shown that tells about the life and work of Ahmad Javad.
Concluding the anniversary ceremony, ASOIU Rector, Professor Mustafa Babanli, noted in his closing speech that Ahmad Javad is an outstanding personality in the history of literary and artistic thought of Azerbaijan, whose unique activity was faithful to the ideals of independence of his people. The Rector, Professor Mustafa Babanli, highly appreciated the event's organisation in honour of Ahmad Javad, thanked the staff and students of the university, the scriptwriter of the performance Vafa Abbasova, the organiser Sureya Nagiyeva, the Student Trade Union Committee. He also highly appreciated the interest of modern Azerbaijani youth, including ASOIU students, in our history and literature and outstanding personalities created in our country. Emphasising the importance of such events and student productions for university life, the Rector, Professor Mustafa Babanli, said that the legacy left by people like Ahmad Javad would become the basis for a bright future for Azerbaijani youth.
