News

With the initiative and support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany, the book “The High Value of Humanity”, featuring 20 short stories by distinguished writer and scholar Mir Jalal Pashayev, has been published by Germany’s reputable H.J. Maurer publishing house. Eighteen of the stories appear in German for the first time, presenting Mir Jalal’s reflections on humanism, social responsibility, and the moral challenges of daily life.

The book launch took place on November 27 at the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Berlin.

The event gathered ADA University Rector Professor Hafiz Pashayev, Honored Teacher Professor Ediba Pashayeva, Bundestag members, diplomats, representatives of German state institutions, and figures from the literary, academic, cultural, and artistic communities, as well as members of Azerbaijani, Turkish, and friendly diaspora groups.

The ceremony opened with a film about Mir Jalal produced by the “House of the Writer” Literary Support Foundation.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Germany, Nasimi Aghayev, highlighted that the publication of “The High Value of Humanity” in German marks an important step in strengthening cultural ties between the two nations. The Ambassador emphasized the project’s nearly two-year preparation period and noted that the book introduces both Mir Jalal’s literary heritage and the humanistic spirit of Azerbaijani literature to a wider international audience.

In his address, Rector of ADA University, Professor Hafiz Pashayev expressed confidence that the German translation of Mir Jalal’s works will deepen cultural understanding between Azerbaijan and Germany. He added that the musical performances and staged readings at the event demonstrated the unifying power of culture.

Professor Eva-Maria Aux, former head of Azerbaijani History at Humboldt University of Berlin, spoke about the central place of human morality, inner depth, and the concept of humanity in Mir Jalal’s writing. She noted the author’s keen philosophical insight into the motivations behind human behavior and emphasized that values like family, unity, and memory are core pillars in his work.

She also underlined Mir Jalal’s literary courage during the Soviet era, when strict ideological control dominated public life. Despite these constraints, he portrayed the individual not as an extension of the collective, but as a person with an independent moral voice which is an approach that set him apart and contributed to the shaping of national consciousness in Azerbaijan.

The event concluded with staged readings of selected stories from the book, performed by German actors Sara Maria Sander, Tamer Tahan, and Elisabeth Degen, accompanied by Azerbaijani music presented by the “Anima Shirvani” ensemble under the artistic direction of musician Tural Ismayilov.