Vienna: The Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Vienna hosted an event highlighting Azerbaijani poetry and literary translation. The event focused on the contributions made by Hanspeter Achmed Schmiede to the legacy of Azerbaijani People’s Poet, playwright, and literary scholar Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, and the translation of Azerbaijani literary pieces into German.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the event featured the presentation of a book featuring the works of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade and the awarding of the Hanspeter Achmed Schmiede prize for literary translation from Azerbaijani to German. Addressing the event, Leyla Gasimova, Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Vienna, noted that such literary and cultural initiatives contribute significantly to the development of humanitarian relations and intercultural dialogue between Azerbaijan and German-speaking countries.
The book titled ‘I am the son of Azerbaijan’ features translations of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade’s works by H.A. Schmiede, as well as translations by German scholar Michael Reinhard Hess and Yusif Savalan. Subsequently, Michael Reinhard Hess delivered a lecture on Bakhtiyar Vahabzade’s creativity, reciting an excerpt from the poem ‘Gulustan’ by B. Vahabzade in German.
The event proceeded with the Hanspeter Achmed Schmiede prize awarding ceremony. The prize aims to develop the translation culture, promote high-quality literary translations from Azerbaijani, and enhance literary ties between Azerbaijan and German-speaking countries. The event continued with a concert program.