Mar 27, 2024

Georgian-Azerbaijani Communities Embrace Novruz

Novruz festival in Tbilisi’s Old Town @ Onnik James Krikorian 2024

The weather this year was not the greatest for the annual Novruz celebration among Georgia’s ethnic Azerbaijani community. However, there was still no end of events to mark the occasion, which is also celebrated in Iran, Central Asia, Türkiye, the South Caucasus, and elsewhere, though traditions may vary. Perhaps it was global warming that disrupted the weather this year, but even if many events had to be moved indoors, some were more fortunate.

That was certainly the case for an event in the area around the Sulphur Baths in Tbilisi’s Old Town. Blessed with sunny weather, large crowds assembled in the Abanotubani area that featured a stage and tents and stalls representing Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Türkiye. The event was supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Georgia, the Mirza Fatali Akhundzade Museum of Azerbaijani Culture, and the Council of Azerbaijani Elders in Georgia.

 

The Ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Faig Guliyev and Ali Kaan Orbay, were present, as were their counterparts from Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.

The full piece with more photographs is here

Novruz in Georgia @ Onnik James Krikorian 2024

 

 

CONFLICT VOICES e-BOOKS

 

Conflict Voices – December 2010

Short essays on the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
Download in English | Russian

 

Conflict Voices – May 2011

Short essays on the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
Download in English | Russian

Tbilisoba 2024

Tbilisoba 2024

Earlier this month, Tbilisi celebrated Tbilisoba, the city’s annual harvest festival. Over the years it has changed significantly and seems smaller than before. I first covered the event in 2011 but the best so far remains 2014 when there was more representation of traditional Georgian folk dance and music as well as by ethnic minorities such as the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. This year, that was held relatively far away from Tbilisi’s Old Town and Rike Park with very little publicity or in some media any at all. Nonetheless, those that attended appeared to enjoy themselves sufficiently and I managed to photo stories.

read more
Can Armenia and Azerbaijan finally reach an agreement by COP29?

Can Armenia and Azerbaijan finally reach an agreement by COP29?

As this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku draws closer, negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be drifting further apart. Despite hopes that the opposite would be true, a lack of clarity and confusion instead continues to reign. Does the draft Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations contain 17 points or 16? Initially, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced that consensus had been reached on 13 points while 3 were partially agreed and there was no agreement at all on a fourth.

read more