The Caspian-Alpine Society, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein and the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, is honoured to have successfully contributed to the implementation of a cultural-academic event dedicated to the Victory Day of Azerbaijan and the 140th anniversary of Üzeyir Hajibeyli, which also featured the official presentation of Dr. Elmir Mirzoev’s new scholarly monograph. The event took place on 12 November at the Yehudi Menuhin Forum Bern.
At the opening segment, Ambassador Fuad Isgandarov underscored that culture serves as one of the most effective and timeless instruments of unity, fostering mutual understanding among nations and communities and enabling long-term cooperation beyond political cycles. He noted that presenting such an academically significant work in Bern was fully aligned with the mission of cultural diplomacy and symbolically reinforced the notion that “culture connects before anything else.”
Mr. Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, spoke about the exceptional intellectual legacy and universal artistic influence of Üzeyir Hajibeyli, noting that his creative achievements long ago transcended national borders and became an integral part of global cultural heritage. He also emphasized that the event’s academic and artistic dimensions reflected the high responsibility borne by the Azerbaijani diaspora worldwide in upholding cultural excellence and knowledge-based cultural promotion.
During her address, Maryam Gulamova Karabekiroglu, President of the Caspian-Alpine Society, emphasized the importance of creating sustainable intellectual and cultural bridges between Azerbaijan and Europe, noting that meaningful academic and artistic dialogue forms a long-term foundation for recognition, respect, and joint cultural development. She expressed appreciation to all partners for their commitment to elevating Azerbaijani cultural scholarship on international platforms.
Dr. Mirzoev’s book, Zwischen Moderne und Archaik: Transregionale Spannungen in der Musikkultur Aserbaidschans im 20. Jahrhundert, represents a unique and methodologically significant contribution to contemporary Eurasian musicology and cultural studies. During the presentation, Dr. Mirzoev elaborated on the historical trajectory of Azerbaijani music, cultural identity formation, and the interplay between tradition, modernization, and intellectual transformation, noting that Azerbaijani musical culture evolved at a civilizational crossroads shaped by artistic innovation, geopolitical shifts, and historical resilience.
The monograph was published in Germany by Transcript Verlag under the academic supervision of Prof. Susanne Frank (Institute of Slavic Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), marking an important contribution to the international academic visibility of Azerbaijani cultural heritage within the German-speaking intellectual landscape. The project is expected to stimulate further scholarly discourse, introduce new analytical optics, and broaden methodological tools for comparative musicology in Eurasian studies.
The programme further included a curated concert component, featuring performances by soprano Mara Huseynova and members of the Berner Klaviertrio (Roman Filipov – violin, Pierre Deppe – cello, Igor Andreev – piano). The repertoire included canonical works by Üzeyir Hajibeyli (Ashiqsayagi, Arazbari, Sensiz, Sevgili Canan), as well as compositions by Türker Qasimzade and Dr. Mirzoev, the latter dedicated to the memory of the tragedy of Khojaly. This artistic segment visually and emotionally underscored the thematic content of the presented research.
Through this project, the Caspian-Alpine Society once again reaffirmed its strategic mission to promote high-quality cultural, academic, and intellectual exchange between Azerbaijan and Europe, contributing to the establishment of sustainable bridges in arts, education, scientific research, and public diplomacy.
