Kyiv hosts event on 85th anniversary of translator of Ukrainian literature Abbas Abdulla

Kyiv has hosted a literary and artistic evening at the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the birth of Azerbaijani poet, translator of Ukrainian literature, and diplomat Abbas Abdulla (1940-2019), Report informs.

The event was organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ukraine and the Ukrainian-Turkic Center.

Abbas Abdulla was the most outstanding Azerbaijani translator and researcher of Ukrainian literature, had a high artistic command of the Ukrainian language, translated Ukrainian literature from the original, and knew Ukrainian culture, history, mentality, and traditions.

At the evening, a letter from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine to the organizers and participants of the event was read, which noted Abbas Abdulla's enormous contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Azerbaijani relations, as well as the value of his translation heritage and the importance of honoring his memory.

The ambassador of Azerbaijan to Ukraine, Seymur Mardaliyev, noted the importance of developing cultural dialogue between Ukraine and Azerbaijan, studying the literary heritage of outstanding personalities who dedicated themselves to cultural diplomacy between our countries.

Ukrainian People's Deputy Serhiy Nahornyak thanked Azerbaijan for its consistent support of territorial integrity and comprehensive assistance to Ukraine. He noted that Azerbaijan is a brotherly country for Ukraine, and such events in Kyiv are a manifestation of respect for Azerbaijani culture, language, and traditions. As part of the event, Ukrainian ensembles performed Azerbaijani dances and songs.

The Barvinok Ukrainian Dance School performed an Azerbaijani dance with gavals (an ancient Azerbaijani percussion instrument) and "Ag chichek" (Azerbaijani classic dance) while the vocal ensemble of folk songs "Veselad" performed the song "Sen gelmez oldun" and a song by Sami Yusuf based on Nasimi's ghazal (form of amatory poem or ode).

The anthem of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani melodies were also played on the bandura (Ukrainian plucked-string folk-instrument) by Marina Vishnevskaya. Poems by Abbas Abdulla were recited by activist Polina Pyatnitsa, who studies the Azerbaijani language at the Ukrainian-Turkic Center's elective course. The curator of the event, Maryna Honcharuk, said that for his highly artistic translations of Ukrainian literature into Azerbaijani, Abbas became a laureate of the M.T. Rylskyi Literary Prize in 1984 (the highest state award of Ukraine given to translators).

"He fell in love with the Ukrainian people and their culture, and although Abbas Abdulla's subsequent life developed rapidly, he became not only one of the greatest poets, translators, and literary scholars of Azerbaijan, but also an influential public and political figure and diplomat. However, Ukraine became the love of his life, and Abbas presented its literature and culture to the Azerbaijani people at a highly artistic level," Honcharuk said.

According to her, Abdulla wrote more than 200 works and several monographs on Azerbaijani-Ukrainian literary ties over a period of 100 years (1840-1940), research on the Azerbaijani "Shevchenkoiana" and the activities of the Ukrainian society "Prosvita" in Baku at the beginning of the last century.

"Individual works by Abbas were translated into Ukrainian by Mykola Miroshnychenko, Pavlo Movchan, Dmytro Pavlychko, Petro Perebyinis and others," said Maryna Honcharuk.

The guests of the event also got acquainted with a photo exhibition, which presented photographs of the bright pages of Abbas Abdulla's life related to Ukraine.

The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, embassies of other countries, a friend of Abbas Abdulla - Ukrainian translator, poet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Serhiy Borschevsky, teachers and students of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the Kyiv National Linguistic University, the State University "Kyiv Aviation Institute" and others.