President Ilham Aliyev presented with Fuzuli's manuscript

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

President of Uzbekistan Shovkat Mirziyayev has presented one of Fuzuli's manuscripts to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a joint press conference in Tashkent, Azernews reports, citing Azertac.

In his remarks, Shovkat Mirziyayev praised the level of the Azerbaijani-Uzbekh relations which, he said, are based on common spiritual values, religion, similar culture, and language.

"The relations of traditional friendship, trust, and mutual understanding with Azerbaijan are particularly valued in Uzbekistan. They are based on common spiritual values, religion, and similar cultures and languages. Our peoples are bound together by a long history...," said the Uzbek president.

"Many cities of Azerbaijan where the mutual influence of eastern and western civilizations took place are mentioned in the scientific works of Ahmad Ferghani and Abu Reykhan Biruni. The funds of our Institute of Oriental Studies carefully store dozens of unique manuscripts of Azerbaijani poets and thinkers such as Nizami, Khagani, Tusi, Fuzuli, Khatai, and many others. Today I presented one of Fuzuli's manuscripts to esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu," he said.

Shovkat Mirziyayev emphasized that the people of Uzbekistan have always highly appreciated Azerbaijani culture.

"This, I think, is a treasure for us. There are a lot of such manuscripts in Uzbekistan. This is further evidence that the Uzbek people have been treating Azerbaijani culture with great respect and interest for centuries. I want to specifically note that the founding father of Uzbek literature and poetry, Alisher Navoi, was inspired by the works of great Nizami Ganjavi, whom he described as "the king of poets". This is how he assessed it," said Shovkat Mirziyayev.

Fuzuli is considered one of the greatest contributors to the divan tradition of Azerbaijani literature.

The 16th-century poet, writer, and thinker is regarded as one of the greatest Ottoman lyrical poets.

He wrote poetry and philosophical works in Azerbaijani, Persian and Arabic languages.

Fuzuli's masterpiece "Leyli and Majnun" laid the foundation of the first Middle Eastern opera.

This poem is considered the pinnacle of a poet's creativity. Based on the poem, in 1907 Uzeyir Hajibeyli wrote the opera "Leyli and Majnun".