The Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in France, and the Permanent Delegation of Azerbaijan to UNESCO organized the exhibition Undiscovered: New Motifs in Azerbaijani Carpetry in Paris. The exhibition is on display at UNESCO Headquarters from January 29 to February 4.

The exhibition is dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the inclusion of Azerbaijani Carpet Weaving Art within the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the inclusion of the Historic Centre of Shaki with the Khans Palace within the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The exhibition showcases thirteen carpet sketches of Shaki carpet group created by carpet artist Eldar Mikailzade, as well as their technical drawings and carpets woven on their basis. Refined culture of Shaki with its magnificent Shaki Khans Palace and the Shakihanov’s House, their wall paintings and shebeke windows provided a real source of inspiration for the artist. The exhibition includes a short film about the project.

Emin Mammadov, Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s Cultural Adviser and Shirin Melikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum are the project curators.

Anar Alakbarov, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Ernesto Ottone Ramírez, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, Rahman Mustafayev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to France, Zachary Gross, Ambassador of France to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Anar Karimov, Head of Permanent Delegation of Azerbaijan to UNESCO, Shirin Melikova, Director of Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, ambassadors accredited to France, heads of missions at UNESCO, representatives of the local community, and the Azerbaijani Diaspora attended the opening ceremony.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation presented this exhibition for the first time in 2019 during the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Cannes. This year the exhibition will travel to several cities in France.

Notably, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and UNESCO consistently support Azerbaijani carpet weaving art and implement various projects within this field.