The inauguration of the exhibition titled “A harmony of two beauties: Azerbaijani carpet and Czech crystal” has taken place in Azerbaijan Culture House in Prague. The exhibition was held with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora and organized by “Azerkhalcha” OJSC and “Halama” Czech Crystal company.

At the exhibition, carpet exhibits of Azerbaijan’s world-famous, rich cultural and national-spiritual heritage and fascinating works of Czech crystal craftsmanship are showcased.

The event was attended by members of the Government and Parliament of the Czech Republic, members of Azerbaijani community in Czech, as well as representatives of the local public and media.

Chairman of the “Natavan” Society, coordinator of the Coordinating Council of Eastern European Azerbaijanis, head of the Azerbaijan Culture House in Prague, the concept author of the exhibition, Leyla Begim Jafarova provided detailed information about exhibition. She expressed her satisfaction with the immediate support of his initiative by both Azerbaijan and Czech Republic. Leyla Begim Jafarova stated that “For our people, carpet is a highly valuable spiritual heritage with a great historical past, unchanged for centuries yet constantly evolving. The exhibition of our ancient carpets alongside world-renowned Czech crystal art is a perfect reflection of cultural harmony".

Speaking about the significance of the exhibition "“A harmony of two beauties: Azerbaijani carpet and Czech crystal” Chairman of the Board of “Azerkhalcha” OJSC and Honored Art Figure Emin Mammadov provided extensive information on the ancient history of national carpet weaving and the different carpet schools in Azerbaijan. He particularly highlighted the emergence of the Karabakh, Gazakh, Nakhchivan, and Shirvan schools and their valuable contributions to this art. He stated: "The exhibition held at the Prague Azerbaijan Cultural House creates great opportunities for promoting our carpet weaving art in Europe”.

The Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Fuad Muradov drew attention to the role of the culture in strengthening ties between people and nations, spoke about the contributions of Azerbaijani Houses abroad in this field. “Art knows no borders, and this important event, connected to art and our rich history, is a vivid example of preserving traditions in modern directions and deeping cultural exchange between our nations. Based on the instructions of Mr. President, Azerbaijani Houses operating abroad not only provide education in our native language but also actively promote our history and culture. Azerbaijani Houses serve not only as cultural centers for our compatriots but also for the local population, fostering unity between nations and states. In this regard, the significance of holding today’s exhibition at the Azerbaijan House is immense.

In his speech, Yashar Aliyev, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to the Czech Republic stated: “I highly appreciate this exhibition for its role in harmonizing the precious samples of art of both nations.

The head of the “Halama” Czech Crystal company, Robert Halama spoke about the company he leads, drew attention to the ancient culture of Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic. He highlighted that the exhibition would make invaluable contribution to intercultural development.

The collection of the exhibition includes 11 wool carpets of various sizes, representing different carpet weaving schools, woven in both modern and classical styles. The samples of the historical art, as well as Czech crystal amazed the viewers. 

In the opening ceremony, the videos about the Azerbaijani carpet art, Czech crystals and diaspora activity were shown.

The exhibition continued with the artistic part. Azerbaijani and Czech music performed by the talented musician chosen as the “The person of the year” in 2020, Janel Najafli, flutist Hana Zhitnikova amazed the participants.

The exhibition titled “A harmony of two beauties: Azerbaijani carpet and Czech crystal” will continue for a month. Our compatriots, local residents and the city’s guests can watch the exhibition.

It should be noted that currently, 29 Azerbaijani Houses are operating in 18 countries, and these houses play a special role in helping our compatriots learn about tongue, as well as in intensifying the connections between the diaspora and local communities.