International Scientific Conference dedicated to Kitabi Dede Gorgud and its 200th anniversary on the theme of “Kitabi Dede Gorgud and world epos tradition” was held in SSU on December 16. Besides, scientists of our republic some valued scientists of Turkey Republic were participated at the conference.  In the opening plenary meeting of conference rector, prof. E.B.Huseynov greeted all participants and talked about the importance of our national value Kitabi Dede Gorgud. He made in his speech: Kitabi Dede Gorgud is one of the cultural and moral values of Azerbaijan history. Kitabi Dede Gorgud  is the richest treasure about epos creature, social thoughts, history and cultural. Every country has its own unforgettable and worthless values. This epos isn’t only monument of our literary mentality, it’s also the cultural monument, the ancient book of our native language, history, geography, ethnography, social and moral value. The root of social thoughts, cultural, tradition, national characteristics are leaned to Kitabi Dede Gorgud. Kitabi Dede Gorgud was translated into many languages. Kitabi Dede Gorgud  is a heroic epos.
The first manuscript of “The Book of  Dede Gorgud”, dated to the 16th century and consisting of 12 stories (songs), was found in a Dresden library by German orientalist H.F. von Diez, who published a translation in 1815 of the “Tapagoz” (Goggle-eye) episode.  Later, the Italian orientalist E. Rossi found another copy of the saga in the Vatican’s library; this was also dated to the 16th century and had six stories-cum-songs. Both copies are written in the Oghuz Turkic language, in Arabic script. The epic, found at the beginning of the 19th century, soon attracted attention from the world’s scholars. It has been translated into Russian, German, English, Persian, Georgian, Latvian, Serb,  Hungarian and other languages (for English-speaking readers it is still possible to find Geoff Lewis’s translation, called ‘The Book of Dede Gorgud). He also stressed that Kitabi Dede Gorgud was called the value source of our nation by national leader Haydar Aliyev.
The head of Turkish nations department of BSU, prof. Ramiz Asker made a report about  “The masterpiece of  Oguz Turkish ” and noted that the epos is one of the monument which reflects the historical background of Azerbaijan.
The head of folklore scientific-research lab, prof. Aslan Bayramov made a report about “Dede Gorgud is as wise symbol in Turkish” and noted that “Our mother book Dede Gorgud” was published according to the instruction “Kitabi Dede Gorgud’s translation into Germany and 200th anniversary” of the president of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev. 
Kamal Onal, young scientist of Ahmet Yasevi University of Turkey made a report about “Azerbaijan investigation of Ahmed Cafaroglu” and stressed that  Kitabi Dede Gorgud is the heritage cultural monument of Azerbaijan. 
Finally, speakers thanked to the rector of the SSU prof. E.B.Huseynov for high organization of conference.
International Conference will be continued in section meeting till December 17.

Translator: Mammadova Zhala

Press Service