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Inauguration of the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre took place in Icherisheher, Baku, March 30.

First Vice-president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the ceremony.

The scriptwriter of our beloved movies “Our Jabish muallim”, “Last night of the childhood”, and the author of the works “Mesozoic story”, “You are my song”, “Who goes to Truskavets?”, “For all the good – death!”, Maksud Ibrahimbeyov enjoyed millions of readers and spectators. He has been recognized, loved and appreciated as an eminent writer both in Azerbaijan and abroad.

The Creativity Centre of People’s writer, eminent scriptwriter and director Maksud Ibrahimbeyov starts to operate since March 30.

First Vice-president Mehriban Aliyeva became familiarized with the conditions created in the Centre’s building.

Writer’s wife Anna Ibrahimbeyova informed Mehriban Aliyeva that here were located Maksud Ibrahimbeyov’s museum, the writer’s library, and literature room. In the literature room are presented books by the writer published in both the Russian and Azerbaijani languages, as well as works translated into 36 foreign languages. Here are also all magazines, in which the writer’s works were printed. Moreover, among the exhibits are various orders and medals Maksud Ibrahimbeyov had been conferred on at different times for his achievements in literature and in public and political spheres, and other awards, honorary diplomas, deputy’s warrants, as well as a document on his candidacy for Nobel Prize.

Maksud Ibrahimbeyov was a son of two Azerbaijani aristocratic families: his father Mammadibrahim Ahmad oghlu Ibrahimbeyov, mother Fatma Alakbar gyzy Ibrahimbeyova-Mashadibeyova. Photos of Ibrahimbeyov and Mashadibeyov families, as well as belonging to them ancient domestic items are displayed in the Centre. There is also a hall in the Centre, where a collection of arms belonging to Maksud Ibrahimbeyov is demonstrated. Maksud Ibrahimbeyov used to collect arms. His collection contains rare examples of arms brought from various world countries or presented to him by his friends. Here are also a library and a conference room.

Mehriban Aliyeva wrote her heartfelt words in the Creativity Centre’s Guests Book.

Anna Ibrahimbeyova presented the People’s writer’s books “Let him stay with us” and “There was no other brother better than him” to Mehriban Aliyeva and Leyla Aliyeva.

Then, Anna Ibrahimbeyova presented certificates confirming Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev and Mehriban Arif gyzy Aliyeva’s being members of the Assembly of Aristocrats, of which chairperson Maksud Ibrahimbeyov had been, and aimed to promote and eternalize the genealogy of people from an aristocrat families, signed by the Assembly of Aristocrats in 2006. The certificate states that the whole family of the document’s holder is considered to be in the row of Azerbaijani aristocrats.

Basic restoration and conservation works have been carried out in the Centre’s building over the course of 2016 and 2017, following the initiative of and with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Based on the Resolution of the Azerbaijani President dated February 1, 2018, now this building will accommodate the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre. The activity of the Creativity Centre will focus on supporting young writers, promoting the Azerbaijani literature and culture, ensuring a creative environment for young writers, and cooperating with cultural organizations of foreign countries.

Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the Centre’s opening ceremony:

- Dear Anna khanum.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends.

Today, the Creativity Centre of Maksud Ibrahimbeyov - an eminent Azerbaijani writer - is inaugurated in old Icherisheher, in the centre of our beloved capital. This is a very significant event, with its symbolic meaning. It is significant because this Centre immortalizes the memory of a great man, an Azerbaijani writer, who has made significant contributions to the cultural, literary, spiritual, public and political heritage of our country. It carries, at the same time, a symbolic meaning. To explain why, I would like to give you brief information, which is very interesting. Listen: the building in which the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre is located was constructed in 1914 by renowned architect Ziverbey Ahmadbeyov for the writer’s grandfather Alakbar Mashadibeyov, an oil industrialist. His mother Fatma khanum, one of the seven children of Mashadibeyov, who was executed by shooting in 1924, was born here. Later, the family was resettled from the house. After the revolution, until the 70s of the 20th century, the building was used as a dwelling home with shared apartments. In 1941-1945, during the Great Patriotic War, the building’s basement served as a bomb shelter. Since 1978, the Peace Advocating Committee has located in this building. In 1983-2016, this committee was headed by Maksud Ibrahimbeyov. The committee has dealt with promoting patriotism, charity, and providing support to low-income families, children, and war veterans. Azerbaijan’s PEN Club - a part of the only international organization to have united professional writers of the world - headed by Maksud Ibrahimbeyov, operated in this building. Since 1999, the Assembly of Aristocrats, founded by Maksud Ibrahimbeyov, with support from Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, has functioned here. The building has been entered on the list of historical monuments of Icherisheher State Reserve since 2001. In 2016-2017, basic repair and restoration works were carried out on the building, with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. By the Resolution of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, dated February 1, 2018, the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre was established in this building.

Dear friends, the building had been constructed for the family by respected Maksud muallim’s family. In over a hundred years, we are inaugurating this building as the Creativity Centre of Maksud Ibrahimbeyov, a great human and eminent writer. I think we all are now witnessing the celebration of an historical justice, and this is very nice. Extraordinarily brilliant, many-branched, extremely talented person– Maksud Ibrahimbeyov is not, unfortunately, among us. He was a true patriot. He was bonded with Azerbaijan, his land, with all his soul. He was a man with courageous civil position. All his life, he has never changed his ideals and principles. His long life he has spent as a sincere man, taking interest in everything, and far from being indifferent. He passed away, however his works, his great literary and spiritual legacy – his books, plays, scripts and essays remain. Each of his works has been in astounding accord with both our present day and the past, and I have no doubt they will be urgent tomorrow too. His every work is alive. Hence, Maksud muallim himself is alive. People – his friends, relatives, those who loved and respected him, who had always been at his side are remaining. The most important person for Maksud muallim – his fairy of inspiration Anna khanum is here. Anna khanum, I want to thank you deeply for your initiative. Because, thanks to your initiative, this Centre is inaugurated today. Over the course of the few years that we have been in close relations with you, I have had a profound respect for you; and I love you very much. While working on the creation of this Centre, I have been amazed at your strength, and your patience. I realize how difficult it is to collect all these personal items, archive materials, and to systemize them. Today is not an easy day for you. You are having double feelings, apparently. On the one hand, you are experiencing the feeling of grief because of the beloved person’s not being beside you, and, on the other, the feeling of joy that this home, this Centre exists.

First, I want to thank all who have participated in the creation of this Centre. I want to express my special thanks to employees of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. We all have approached this job with great love and responsibility. This Centre must have been worth of Maksud muallim’s name. We had been wishing and, of course, trying to make sure that, first of all, the atmosphere that Maksud muallim had created in this house was felt, along with restoring the building’s historical picture. As a true human he had being conveying such energy that after having met him once you would almost become enchanted and want to be beside him. I am hopeful this house too will have the same effect. Therefore, I want to once more say that the opening of the Creativity Centre of respected Maksud muallim in this house is quite justified. I would very much like to see here an environment he would have liked, created, and lived. I think this house will be a place where talented youth would hold various meetings, Azerbaijani writers be supported, and literary and artistic evenings would be organized. That is to say, I am hopeful, and I know that Anna khanum will head this Centre. Therefore, I am sure everything will be as Maksud muallim would have wished. May his soul rest in peace!

I wish all of you, first of all, you, Anna khanum, happiness and sound health. May you remain healthy and beautiful as today for long years, and realize the ideas and thoughts that you have known better than anybody has and, unfortunately, Maksud muallim did not have time to accomplish. Thank you very much.

XXX

The writer’s spouse Anna Ibrahimbeyova thanked Mehriban Aliyeva for the reverence for Maksud Ibrahimbeyov’s memory and the support provided for the creation of the Centre:

- Dear friends, I am glad to see you. Thank you very much.

I am very grateful to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which has created the Maksud Ibrahimbeyov Creativity Centre. Mehriban khanum, thank you very much for your support and participation, and for the respect and kind attitude you have shown towards Maksud muallim and his creative work. And I will try to make sure that this place is interesting, and you all come here with pleasure.

XXX

A video footage containing photos reflecting the writer’s life and creativity was shown.

The video footage ends with the words of Maksud Ibrahimbeyov: “Live long life and let any day of your life be filled with joy”.

The writer’s friend, first deputy of the general director of Russia’s TASS Information Agency Mikhail Gusman commenced his speech by addressing Maksud Ibrahimbeyov. Saying “Here have gathered your friends, those who love you”, Mikhail Gusman emphasized that Maksud Ibrahimbeyov himself, who had headed the Assembly of Aristocrats, was both genetically and spiritually from a noble family. He touched upon the activity of Maksud Ibrahimbeyov - the head of the National Peace Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was engaged in promoting patriotism and charitable activity, providing support to poor families and war veterans - in this sphere, and said “There is no way this world can be rescued without people like you”.

Rector of the Baku Music Academy, People’s Artist Farhad Badalbeyli talked about devoting each other poems in each their meeting with the writer, and read the poem he had written for Maksud Ibrahimbeyov.

People’s Writer Maksud Ibrahimbeyov used to write about uncommon and daily events in a slow fashion, and having profoundly analysed the spiritual world of his characters, conveyed their traits to the reader. In a number of his works, the writer showed the lifestyle of an Eastern human, talking from the point of view of universal issues. As a representative of the generation, which has entered the literary world in the 60s of the last century, he earned profound respect and esteem of numerous admirers, having created colourful and comprehensive images of his contemporaries. National traits, traditions of the people of Azerbaijan, and portrayal of Baku’s unique colour, in particular, have been reflected in Maksud Ibrahimbeyov’s creative work in an unforgettable fashion.