Trailing the Fine Arts of AZERBAIJAN
By Ian PEART, United Kingdom
Sattar Bahlulzadeh’s gravestone. Sculptor Omar Eldarov
Azerbaijan is certainly better known now to the West than when I landed here 24 years ago, and its exploits in sports: the first European games, Qarabag’s footballing exploits across Europe, and Formula 1 have all helped to raise the profile. Winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and hosting it in the following year also helped. And finally having to fight to reclaim its lands in Karabakh in 2020 and 2023 made people even more aware of the country.