Lithuania’s PM tours Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum PHOTO

Inga Ruginienė, the Prime Minister of Lithuania, visited the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum on April 9, where she was briefed on the country’s centuries-old carpet weaving traditions, Azerbaijani authorities said.

During the visit, Ruginienė was introduced to the artistic heritage of Azerbaijani carpet-making, which officials described as one of the country’s most prominent traditional crafts, local media reports.

In 2010, the art of Azerbaijani carpet weaving was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The museum’s collection showcases the main artistic schools of Azerbaijani carpet weaving, highlighting materials, weaving techniques and distinctive aesthetic features. Officials noted that the institution houses rare examples of applied arts, including carpets, metalwork, textiles, ceramics, glass, woodwork, jewellery, manuscripts and historical photographs.

The museum building, located in Baku’s Seaside National Park, was designed in the shape of a rolled carpet and was constructed following a presidential decree by Ilham Aliyev, with its foundation laid in May 2008. Authorities said the purpose-built facility was intended to provide improved conditions for displaying and preserving the collection.

Ruginienė was also shown live carpet-weaving demonstrations and given information on traditional Azerbaijani attire and the ancient craft of kelaghayi, a type of silk headscarf, including its production methods and symbolic patterns.

Visitors were presented with details about a carpet named “Zafar”, dedicated to Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day war, and toured the Karabakh-themed section of the museum.

The delegation was additionally briefed on the historical development of the museum, which has been relocated several times before settling in its current building. Officials said the preservation and promotion of carpet weaving has been supported by initiatives linked to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, chaired by Mehriban Aliyeva.

At the conclusion of the visit, the Lithuanian prime minister left a note in the museum’s guest book, authorities added.

By Aghakazim Guliyev