Stories about Azerbaijan from August, 2011
Azerbaijan: Ramadan
Aaron in Azerbaijan introduces its readers to Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting also known as Ramazan, and comments on a reflection on gender and faith during the period of observance of the by a local female blogger, Sensible and Sensitive, who visited a mosque for the first time in...
Azerbaijan: Tourism – from potential to realization
Having returned from an enjoyable vacation in Indonesia, Aaron in Azerbaijan compares the experience with what Azerbaijan has to offer and notes such problems as the quality of customer service as well as the infrastructure in place. While the blog notes that the country has much potential for tourism, it...
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Unlikely Pen Pals?
Tamada Tales comments on an exchange between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and an Armenian child living in the breakaway territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Tensions between the two ethnic groups remain high, but the exchange ended with an invitation from Aliyev to the 13-year-old girl to visit the oil-rich...
Azerbaijan: Hopes and expectations for Eurovision
As Azerbaijan takes the spotlight ahead of hosting Eurovision next year, some have high expectations that the international song contest will bring about positive changes in the country. Aaron in Azerbaijan, however, takes a more reserved approach and expresses skepticism about the power of Eurovision to transform Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan: Refugee problem
Ilkin Huseynov posts photographs of refugees in Azerbaijan on Invisible Photographer Asia and says that even 17 years after the 1994 ceasefire agreement with Armenia the problem remains urgent and demands special attention from society.
Azerbaijan: Facebook hate campaign for ‘consorting’ with the ‘enemy?’
Angered by a photograph of Aynishan Guliyeva, a contestant in this year's national selection for Eurovision, standing next to an Armenian competitor during a recent regional music festival, some youth in Azerbaijan have launched a hate campaign against the singer on the popular social networking site. Created on Monday, the...
Azerbaijan: Eurovision in a non-free country?
A campaign to raise awareness of the plight of political prisoners and restrictions on freedom of assembly in Azerbaijan has been launched by four non-governmental organizations ahead of next year's Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the country's capital, Baku. A video in English detailing the campaign has been...
