The official opening ceremony of the 4th National Yaylaq Festival took place in Goygol district. The festival aims to promote Azerbaijan’s national and spiritual values, preserve yaylaq and nomadic culture, and present it on an international scale.
According to Azernews, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Bilal Erdoğan recalled in his speech that the National Yaylaq Festival was first organized in 2019 in Gadabay district. “It is a great joy to be here. Through the Yaylaq Festival, we once again see the shared culture of the two brotherly countries – Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Muslim countries must always stand together. The Karabakh Victory once again proved the strong friendship between our two nations,” he noted.
Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov emphasized that hosting such a festival is a major achievement for Azerbaijan: “This is already the fourth year the National Yaylaq Festival is being held. Public interest in the festival is very high. Our main goal is to preserve our traditions and pass them on to the younger generation. Of course, such events would not be possible without state support. We are also grateful to the President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, Bilal Erdoğan, for his support.”
Muzadil Hasanov, President of the “Javad Khan” History and Culture Foundation, highlighted the significance of once again holding the festival in Goygol district and praised the strong public interest in the National Yaylaq Festival.
The event continued with a cultural program. In Khan Yaylaq, an ethno-village called “Yaylaq Yurdu” was created in an original style. Guests visited different sections of the ethno-village, including traditional dwellings (alaçıq tents), a chovgan (horse-riding) square, a yaylaq (agricultural produce) market, a handicrafts corner, a “Dede Gorgud hearth” (stage for performances), livestock pens, a wrestling arena, an Ashiq Alasgar hearth, a yaylaq dining area featuring traditional cuisine, and other spaces. They also enjoyed performances by ethnic music groups, local ensembles, ashig duels, national dances, folk songs, cultural displays of ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan, stage plays, theatrical compositions, ancient folk games, handicrafts, and examples of traditional clothing.
Within the framework of the festival, the mobile “Healthy Life” project attracted strong interest from participants. Sports enthusiasts, especially children, actively joined the initiative and enjoyed an entertaining time.
It should be noted that the 4th National Yaylaq Festival is organized by the “Javad Khan” History and Culture Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the World Ethnosport Confederation, the Goygol District Executive Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, KOBIA, the State Tourism Agency, and Baku City Circuit Operations Company.
