This year, Azerbaijani-Georgian communities across Georgia came together to celebrate Novruz with a variety of events and festivities.
Georgian-Azerbaijani Communities Embrace Novruz
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CATEGORY RESULTS
Beyond Borders: Parajanov Centennial Marked in Yerevan and Tbilisi
This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of legendary ethnic Armenian film director Sergei Parajanov. Very much a child of the South Caucasus, Parajanov’s work encompassed Armenian, Azerbaijan, Georgian, Moldova, and Ukrainian influences, with his legacy living on today.
Tbilisi’s Armenian Community Celebrates Christmas
Almost two weeks after Christmas was celebrated elsewhere in the world, and a day before Georgia celebrated Orthodox Christmas, Tbilisi’s ethnic Armenian community celebrated its own on 6 January this year. According to the census in 2014, some 53,000 ethnic Armenians reside in the Georgian capital while some 168,000 ethnic Armenians make up Georgia’s second largest ethnic minority, not including those residing in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.
New Narratives Necessary for an Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace
Commonspace, a publication by LINKS Europe, has published my latest on the need for positive and alternative narratives in the Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict. This has been a problem for decades and while any grim reality needs to be reported on that should not be at the expense of genuine real-world positive examples that can at least represent a glimmer of hope for two societies that remain isolated from each other.
Ethnic Incompatibility or Coexistence? Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Georgia
Despite the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict that has waged for three decades, and despite the ethno-nationalist narrative of alleged ‘ethnic incompatibility,’ the two groups do actually co-inhabit and co-exist in many villages, towns, and cities in Georgia. Ever since first hearing about the ethnic Armenian-Azerbaijani co-inhabited villages from Michael Andersen, a Danish journalist, in 2008 I’ve made a point of visiting them ever since to at least offer one positive example of co-existence between the groups albeit in a third country.
Europalia 2023: Cultural Diplomacy Strengthens Ties Through Art and Music
Earlier this month Georgia was the theme of the Europalia biennial in Belgium. With a rich history of art, culture, dance, and music of its own, it was therefore encouraging to see that one of the performers from the country was the ethnic Azerbaijani Ashiq Nargile. This was a welcome inclusion of a representative of Georgia’s largest ethnic minority in the programme.
Gardabani’s Ashiqs: Guardians of an Ancient Musical Tradition
Nestled within the lush green landscapes of Georgia’s Kvemo Kartli region, the municipality of Gardabani is home to many from the country’s largest ethnic minority: Azerbaijanis. Here, despite concerns of dwindling numbers, the age-old Turkic tradition of wandering minstrels has continued. Known as ashiqs, these troubadours are skilled in the art of performing poetry over music, usually performed on the saz, a stringed instrument resembling a long-necked lute.
Puppetry Unites Ethnic Communities in Mixed Georgian Region
Georgian-Armenian artist, poet, and puppeteer, Armen Hovhannisyan, uses his puppet shows to unite the Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian communities living in the multicultural municipality of Marneuli, Georgia.
Sevan Bıçakçı: Istanbul’s King of Rings
During my brief stay in Istanbul on the way back to Tbilisi from a visit home to England I visited the atelier of renowned Turkish jeweller Sevan Bıçakçı. Sadly, like the first time I visited it another stay in Istanbul in 2021, Bıçakçı wasn’t there, but I did get to sit down with his Creative Director, Emre Dilaver. My new piece for The Caspian Post.