Azerbaijan & Turkish communities hold protest rally over vandalism against Khurshidbanu Natavan's statue

On Saturday, members of the Azerbaijani and Turkish communities in France organized a protest rally in the city of Évian to denounce the recent act of vandalism against the statue of prominent Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan, Azernews reports.

The protestors called for the preservation of Khurshidbanu Natavan’s heritage, the restoration of the name of the Azerbaijan Garden, and paying respect to the memory of the renowned poet who advocated for literary freedom and women’s rights.

During the rally, participants voiced their demands with slogans such as “Let’s protect Natavan’s cultural heritage!”, “We demand the restoration of the name of the Azerbaijan Garden!” and “Preserve the heritage of the renowned Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan!”.

Member of the Azerbaijani community in France Ayten Muradova drew attention to the destruction of Khurshidbanu Natavan’s grave by Armenians in Karabakh, criticizing the lack of global attention to this issue.

Another protestor Tarana Monbarbu described the vandal act in Évian as an assault not only against Azerbaijani culture but also against oriental and global cultural heritage.

Highlighting the statue`s significance as a symbol of the centuries-long cultural relations between Azerbaijan and France, artist Asmar Narimanbayova expressed dismay at the perpetrators` destructive intentions behind the act of vandalism.

The act of vandalism against the statue erected in the Azerbaijani Garden as a gift from Azerbaijan to the city of Évian-les-Bains, which became a sister city to Ismayilli in 2017, has caused concerns not only among Azerbaijanis living in France but also among the local community.