One Step Nearer to European Education

Nowadays, one of the problems concerning the students, the main part of Azeri youth, is the current basement on the Soviet education system at majority of universities.
As is known, at some universities the education has already been transformed to credit system. A thought exchange on this issue was held from the Ministry of Education officials to civil students. Moreover, a poll under the name of “Tahsilimizi Takminleshdirak” (Let’s Improve Our Education) was held in some universities among both the students getting education the principles of soviet system and the ones studying according to credit system and relying on the results of the poll one can note that, majority of the students are for the full realization of this system.Particularly,at Azerbaijan University Languages, I study, it passed to credit system in 2005 and the query taken from 1st ,2nd, 3rd-year students showed that they are mostly satisfied.

If taken into he consideration the opportunities credit system gives to students; to continue their education in different European countries on the basis of students exchange and to diminish the possible problems to minimum they can face, recognition of our diplomas and some other reasons it is quite to get such results on the poll.
Moreover, to our mind, credit system offers good conditions for training more skilled specialists, because irrespective of time, a student has to complete all his academic debts.
Another totally different and favorable feature is that students possess the opportunity to get qualified in two professions at the same time, that is one can extend his/her education on a field close to their qualifications.

Regards, Aynur Nabiyeva (new member)

“Future depends on current investments or capitals”

As you know that, Azerbaijan is one of the Third World Countries. And, we are in the transitional period, yet. Therefore, there are lots of problems in Azerbaijan, as existing in other countries. And, I would like to write about problems of youths, students in Azerbaijan.
“What are the problems of students in Azerbaijan?”-As I said, there exist many problems in Azerbaijan. For example, the system of education, shortage of books, literature in Azeri, unemployment problem, and so on.

But the biggest problem is financial problem. To write or explain this problem, clearly, I wanted to interview one student. If you want to understand the problems of Azerbaijani students’ problems, you can read this student’s interview.

Interviewer: My name is Emin, and last name is Rustemov. I study at Khazar University. My faculty is International Relations. And, I am third year student. My essential difficulty/ problem are financial problem. Because, I have many plans, projects for my education. But, I can not realize them, because of financial problem. I want to note that, I got three part scholarships to study abroad, when I graduated secondary-school. It means that, I had three choices to study at a university. These chances were to study in USA, Cyprus, and third was to study in Azerbaijan at Khazar University. To study in USA, I should pay 25.000$, and in Cyprus payment was 10.000$. But, the payment of Khazar University consist of 3000$. That’s why; I could not have selected USA and Cyprus, eventually I selected Khazar University.
Furthermore, there are lots of international conferences, debates in different countries. But, unfortunately, I can not participate in these. Because, there are travel costs, participation fees, and so on. And, it is not suitable for my family’s budget. But, I try to participate, at least, one–two international conferences, or debates in every year.
I pay, approximately 3000$ for studying at Khazar University, for one year. Of course, there are also, other expenses. But, I don’t work anywhere, today. That’s why; my parents support me, and pay all type of my payments.
Another big problem is unemployment in Azerbaijan. It is impossible to find any job during student life, and, also, after the graduation of the university. That’s why, I can not help financial aid my family. If, I had work, I would can help my parents, and pay some expenses of mine.
To create my future life, I need lots of money. Because, after the graduation of bachelor’ degree, I want to study abroad. But my family does not have enough money to support me. I would like to get master degree at Central European University. It is my dream. I am not sure, but, may be, this dream will realize in recent future. May be, will not realize.
After the master degree, I want to continue my education, for getting PhD in abroad. But, of course, to realize these plans, projects initially, I should have money. I think that, future depends on current investments, or capitals. It means that, if you want to establish your future, life, you should invest, expense, for your education, today. Because, it is not possible to do anything, without money.

Finally, I want to say that, I hope that, I will realize my dreams, in future.

Dear readers, those were the main problems of Azerbaijani students. I hope that, you got some information about this issue.

Bakhtiyar Aslanov
Print Group new member

OUR KHAZAR, YOUR CASPIAN

Do you know which is the biggest and most beautiful lake in the world? Yes, you have fond it is the 400000km squared Caspian Lake. Actually, most people know Khazar as the Caspian. The name Khazar was taken from the name of the minority who lived at the seaside of Khazar. Because of there isn’t any connection with World ocean we call it lake, but because of its large size we call Khazar like sea. Surrounding the sea sides of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea is the plenty of natural recourses. The deepest place of the Caspian Sea is 1025 meter. There are many animals and plants. The income which is got from the petrol is the main part of Azerbaijani budget.

But the current situation of the Caspian Sea isn’t heartwarming.
According to the information which I got from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources the most part of the pollution of the Caspian Sea is the industrial waste, agricultural refuse, exploitation of gas and oil wells. Another part of pollution takes the rivers which fall into the Caspian Sea and bring with themselves much slop.

What do our Youth think about this issue ?

Nigar Mammadova is a student. She thinks that the pollution of the Caspian Sea is increasing day by day. Our health and the life of livings in the Caspian Sea depend on us. We shouldn’t pollute the Caspian Sea. There had settled 15 million populations at the seaside of Caspian Sea.

Bayramov Shahriyar is a pupil. He thinks that there will not any result up to the time when we stop to throw the bottles into the water. It means, we and the state officials should work together in order to prevent this pollution.
Nadir Gurbanov, imagines the Caspian Sea like big aquarium. He says that the fish need care everyday.
Huseynova Jala is also a student. For her point of view the main reason of pollution of the Caspian Sea is the rivers like Kura, Aras, Volga which fall into the Caspian Sea. Experts says that it is very big indication. If we want that the Caspian Sea becomes clear we should care about the refining of the rivers.
Student Vugar Alkhasov thinks that actually, it is the problem of only Azerbaijan but it is the problem of all lateral states of Azerbaijan. In order to solve the problem we must combine our strength !

You got acquainted with the thought of our youth. Though there is a pollution problem in Caspian Sea but it is very beautiful. For me, the principle of Hotter – “If everybody sweep in front of his/her house, our world will become cleaner” is the best way to make our Caspian Sea clean.


How do you think what can we do ?

Author: Arzu

The relations between boys and girls

The aim of our investigation was to get know the relationships between boys and girls. And with the purpose I began to work with photographer Elmin. As the result of our investigation we divide issues to several forms. These forms reflects as the relationship between girls and boys, friend and lover. We faced differences, contradictions even, resistance when we were taken the photos from the outside.

For instance, the boy who is the name Fuad was dissatisfied from the taken his photo. He said that his relation with the girl is secret and he didn’t want that his friends or relatives know about this relationship. He added that there isn’t any strict attitudes between them just only boy and girl.

Another interviewer was Afsana. She told that if there isn’t any serious relationship between boy and girl we couldn’t speak about the attitudes at all. The same time we saw many lovers in the city and we witnessed that they were completely free. And they didn’t resist for taken theirs photos.

Author: Ayaz
The photos were taken by Elmin

Tuberculosis or the trouble of Azerbaijan

Tuberculosis is the one of the global disaster which was taken place in the list of the Goals of Millennium Development Program. This disaster is the big problem for current Azerbaijan and its society. For the indications of the Azerbaijan State Static Committee there are more than 7451 people who has infected tuberculosis. And the official of Azerbaijan State Static Committee said that the reason of spreading of the disaster is lack of information among the people. And I decided to investigate the issue.

The first interviewer was 19 aged Nadir Saracli. He is the student of Baku Sate University. I asked him about awareness over this disaster, what is the reason for its spreading, how to protect of it and what it is the best way for protection. He said that he has no info over this issue. But he added that the area of its spreading is Baku. And as the reasons of spreading he indicated the anti-sanitaria especially. And added that there is no enough clinic in Azerbaijan.

The next interviewer was Jamala Guluiva. She told me by answering to my questions that the reason of spreading of tuberculosis is the pollution. And she the same time accuse the Universities and other educational institutions that they do not inform youth about the disaster and its effects.

I approached with the same question to Rasif Dunyamaliev who had already graduated the University. Rasif said that he had info about tuberculosis and he got this info from the books, himself. And by touching the reasons he told that it the issue of lacks of immunities, non well feeding. About the area of the spreading he especially showed the prisons. He told that last year more than 50 people died in prisons dealing with tuberculosis.

The next interviewer was Konul. She is a master at the University Foreign Languages. She told that it is very needed to inform the country people about this disaster. Konul said that it is a matter of unawareness.

And finally, I came to conclusion that the reason of spreading of this disaster is an unawareness of people and the sanitary rules which people must do but they don’t oblige them.

Signuture: Rustam Rahimli

E-mail: rustemrehimli@yahoo.com

Mugham as a national music of Azerbaijan

Gaval - Tar - Kamancha

There are many different types of music in Azerbaijan. The national music in Azerbaijan is Mugham. The term Mugham is used at least 700 years. Mugham is the general name of the largest genre of traditional Azerbaijan music and is applied to all of its forms. Nevertheless they all carry their own names. Several comon features relate Azerbaijani mugham with Iran destgahs , Uzbek and Tajik shashkoms, Uygur mughams, Indian ragas, Arabian nubas and Turkish tegsims (destgahs, shashkoms, mughams, ragas, nubas,tegsims are one of the kind of national music in the following countries).

From the late nineteenth century the Azeri tradition has also distinguished seven basic mughams, called: Rast, Shyr, Segyakh, Shushmer, Chargyakh, Bayati-Shiraz, Khymayut, plus several accessory ones, including Shakhnar, Saranj, Bayti kyur, Khidzhaz, Gamar, and Makhur. These names go back to figurative attributes. For example, Shur means love or enthusiasm. Other names are numerical: Dugyakh comes from du, meaning two; and others are names of cities and countries, such as Irak and Khijaz. Furthermore, each of the tones is connected to a particular circle of moods and feelings: Shur to the lyrical, Rast to cheer, Segyakh to love, Chargyakh to passion and excitement, Bayati-shiraz to sadness, Shyumer to sorrow, and Khumayon to profound sorrow.

Mugham is performed by the group of performers. The group is composed of a singer – khanende (in azeri language) who plays on gaval (a musical instrument), tar (a musical instrument) and kamancha (a musical instrument). This group of performers is called “trio of mugham”. Because there are participating tree people. The text of mughams which singer songs are usually being the classics of Azerbaijan poetry such as Fizuli, Nizami Ganjavi, Khagani Shirvani and etc. By the way the text of mugham is called gazels. And singer is free to choose the kind of poem, but he should take into consideration the melodic peculiarities of mugham he performs.

Artistic values of Azerbaijani mugham for national culture and the culture of the whole world and its high sense acknowledged by highly authorized international organization UNESCO in 2003. UNESCO appreciated mugham as 'one of the masterpieces of the verbal and non-material heritage of the world.

For more information please enter the web pages below: http://www.azerbaijan.az/__search/tmplnk_818_e.html http://azerbaijan.aznet.org/azerbaijan/abs_mus.html http://www.unesco.ru/eng/pages/bythemes/polina21112005153530.php http://azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/82_folder/82_articles/82_bakikhanov_museum.html

Author: Rustam Rahimli
Azerbaijan University, the faculty of International Relations

E-mail address: baki1988@mail.ru
Msn address: rustemrehimli@yahoo.com

Mugham in the eyes of Azerbaijani Youth

As a national music mugham is famous in Azerbaijan. But if say true there are differences among the people who listens this type of music. In a concrete way we could say most of youth like to listen pop, rock and etc. music which exists in the world. But it doesn’t mean that there is no one who listens among the youth. For certify this thought I ask an interview from the students who studies at the school named after famous Azerbaijani singer Bulbul.

My first respondent was Shahin who is a singer for more than 7 years. He likes national Azerbaijani music – mugham because it is fundamental part of the Azerbaijani tradition. Continuing his speech Shahin noted that mugham contains the root of many foreign music. In order to proof his idea Shahin he remarked that the famous Austrian composer Iohan Sebastian Bach used in his fuga which calls “Re minor Takkata” the one of the seven main mughams of Azerbaijan which calls “Bayati-Shiraz”. Meanwile, Shahin noted that mugham looks similar azan but Azan is used for calling muslems to pray. The same time Shahin said that he adores Austrian classical music and in order to aquaintance with Austrian and Lithuanian national music he offers to organize a culture night together with Austrian and Lithuanian musicians.

Javad Javadzadeh – he is a tar player. It is already 6 years he plays tar. For Javad mugham is a national wealth of the Azerbaijan nation. The musical instrument which he plays Javad considers special because of its sounds. He specially noted that there are most of children who goes to musical schools are motivated by parents in Azerbaijan. Javad offers to organize mutual concert programs with Austrian and Lithuanian young musicians also. He sure that this suggestion could create and improve multilateral friendship relations among Azerbaijan – Lithuanian – Austrian youth.

Farida Asgerova – she is a Kamancha - player. She plays kamancha for 10 years. Farida said that she adore azerbaijanian national music because of it’s different one. Answering the question about future plans Farida said that she wishes to give a concert in the Europe with national ensemble.

As you have read above all students from the musician school wish to make mutual and multilateral relations with Lithuanian and Austrian youth and want to share theirs culture with other nations. But they need any support to realize theirs wish and may be this project will be more profitable for them or for all youth generation of Azerbaijan in this issue.

The end

Author: Rustam Rahimli
Azerbaijan University, the faculty of International Relations
E-mail address: baki1988@mail.ru
Msn address: rustemrehimli@yahoo.com