A young nation with ancient histories, Azerbaijan is the theme of the program Reporting Paths this Sunday (15), which airs at 10 pm, on TV Brazil.
Wedged between Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan has been dominated by some of the largest empires in the world over the last few centuries: from Roman to Persian and from Ottoman to Russian. Already in the last century, control of the territory became Soviet.
The Azeris, as the country’s inhabitants are known, make a point of stating that they have a defined identity and origin: they have been residents of the Caucasus for thousands of years. Despite this, the nation is young. It appeared in 1991, shortly after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. “It is an important and highly disputed region”, defines Professor Estevão Martins, who teaches History of International Relations at the University of Brasília.
Monument honoring those killed in wars in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan – TV Brazil
The country is cut by the Caucasus Mountains and borders the Caspian Sea. Rich in oil and natural gas, Azerbaijan is trying to “make itself known”, explains the Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Brazil in Baku, the country’s capital, Alexandre Silveira.
“It’s that story: some people know that Azerbaijan exists. But it’s not just an exotic, remote land. They have what to offer the world, they play an important and more relevant role than what has been known so far”, completes the minister counselor.
Another important point: a large part of the population is Muslim. Mostly Shia, by the way. “People associate Shiism with Islamic radicalism. And it has nothing to do. The problem is that a country with a Shiite majority has an extremist regime. That is the question. Here, the majority are Shiite, but there is a Soviet heritage and the current government values the secular state. So much so that you don’t hear calls to prayer in mosques. No restriction on alcohol. There is nothing related to clothing restrictions, to behaviors. It is a place that welcomes you, you have a normal life”, says Alexandre Silveira.
Throughout the program, reporters Flavia Peixoto and Sigmar Gonçalves, who went to the country at the invitation of the Azerbaijani embassy in Brazil, show the sensitive relationship between the Azerbaijanis and their Armenian neighbors. There have been two recent wars between the two countries.
Local architecture blends tradition and modernity – TV Brazil
The team of Reporting Paths it will also showcase the rich local cuisine with the help of young chef Yagub Zeynalzade. He travels through the interior of the country in a Kombi in search of new ingredients and gastronomic heritage. Daring, Yagub turned an 18 square meter (m²) apartment into a restaurant, where he receives customers from all over the world.
“Projeto Apartamento is more than a restaurant and a home. In the beginning, it was also a culinary academy. And we, even today, hold events here to promote special products”, says the chef.
And a curiosity: in addition to Brazilian football, capoeira has many admirers in Azerbaijan. So much so that there is a Capoeira Federation in the country. “Capoeira is not just a sport, it is a way of life. The combination of dance, music and fighting makes me love this sport”, says the vice-president of the federation, Elgiz Alizada.
the episode Azerbaijan – young nation, ancient stories airs this Sunday (16/04) at 22h, on TV Brazil.
