On the 19^th of March the Institute of Folklore of ANAS held the scientific seminar on the theme “Novruz holiday: socio-cultural context and system of values” dedicated to Novruz holiday.

Opening the seminar, Director of the Institute of folklore, PhD in Philology, associate professor Hikmat Guliyev spoke about the socio-cultural context of the holiday Novruz, its philosophy in terms of universal values, as well as its metaphorical and symbolic essence. The scientist noted that the holiday Novruz, which was included in the UNESCO Representative List of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2009 as a multinational nomination, is based on high human values from the point of view of its philosophical essence.

The report about the theme of the seminar “Novruz customs in Turkic peoples” were made by the Head of the Department of Ceremony of folklore of the Institute, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, associate professor Agaverdi Khalilov.

Then, the leading researcher of the Department of Mythology, PhD in Philology, associate professor Shakir Albaliyev made a report on the theme “The place of the holiday Novruz in the ethnocultural system”.

The Head of the Department of Modern folklore, Professor Fuzuli Bayat also spoke about the theme.

At the end of the seminar there was an extensive exchange of views on the theme and the ashiqs Ozan Shiar Agdashan and Ashiq Shahturna, who participated as guests at the event, presented their performances.