Leyla Aliyeva attended the presentation of the documentary film “Azerbaijan. The Rescue of the Gazelles”

On March 14, the IDEA Public Association presented the documentary film “Azerbaijan. The Rescue of the Gazelles” at the Nizami Cinema Center.

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Association, attended the presentation.

Before the presentation, Leyla Aliyeva familiarized herself with an exhibition of photographs taken by the film’s director Igor Bishnyov during the shooting process.

The film was then screened.

The film, which highlights the jewel of Azerbaijan’s fauna – the gazelles, was filmed in specially protected natural areas in Shirvan, Aghgol, Absheron, Korchay, and Gobustan. With a runtime of 40 minutes, the film notes that although gazelles were once densely populated in the South Caucasus, their numbers sharply declined in the last century. In 1961, an aerial survey recorded 131 gazelles in the territory of the republic. To save this rare species, the Bendovan State Nature Reserve was established in 1961, the Shirvan State Reserve in 1969, and 20 years later, the number of gazelles in these areas reached 3,000. In 2003, Shirvan National Park was established in the area. Reviewing the results, it can be confidently said that gazelles in the South Caucasus were saved thanks to efforts made in Azerbaijan.

The documentary reflects the work carried out under the program “Protection, Reintroduction, and Restoration of the Historical Habitats of Gazelles in the Territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” implemented on December 24, 2010, by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Gazelles from Shirvan National Park were relocated to the Acınohur-Sarıca and Mil plains, the Bozdag range, and the Gobustan-Cängichay State Nature Reserve. Since its establishment, the IDEA Public Association has supported and contributed to activities aimed at the restoration and protection of gazelles.

After the film’s presentation, director Igor Bishnyov expressed his gratitude to Leyla Aliyeva, the initiator of the “Azerbaijan. The Rescue of the Gazelles” project, and shared his impressions of the shooting process. Noting that the screening coincided with the Novruz holiday, he congratulated the participants on this occasion and emphasized that with the arrival of Novruz, nature awakens.

“Today marks the fourth year of our filming team’s activity in Azerbaijan. We first came to Azerbaijan in the spring of 2013, just before Novruz. Over these four years, we filmed the gazelles. Those following our work probably know that the core of our project is the ‘9 Wonders of Azerbaijan.’ However, from the very first day until now, gazelles have always appeared on screen. This is not accidental, as the gazelle is one of the symbols of Azerbaijan,” said Igor Bishnyov.

The director expressed hope that viewers would gain specific insights from the film: “In the film, we discussed the ecology of this species, its historical significance in Azerbaijan, and how important gazelles are to the Azerbaijani people. First of all, it should be noted that the South Caucasus gazelle was saved thanks to Azerbaijan. Without these measures, the gazelles would have disappeared from these areas. Thanks to the decision of the Azerbaijani leadership and the love of the people for this animal, it has been possible to save the South Caucasus gazelle over many decades, and it is no longer in danger. Secondly, the territory is crucial for the protection of gazelles. In this regard, the work carried out in Azerbaijan has no equivalent, including in the former USSR. Nature reserves established in the last century have not only been preserved but also expanded. All this has been done for the welfare of the gazelle and the planet as a whole. The third important factor is the program implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Under this international program, more than 100 animals have been placed in protected areas. Nowhere else in the world do state leaders demonstrate such care for nature. The activities of such people serve as an example to others.”

The director expressed hope that filming would continue under the project, concluding: “By protecting the gazelles, we are protecting our future.”

It should be noted that “Azerbaijan. The Rescue of the Gazelles” is the fourth film produced by IDEA under the direction of Igor Bishnyov. The first three films, created within the framework of the IDEA Public Association’s “9 Wonders of Azerbaijan” project, are the documentaries “Shirvan National Park,” “Bird Paradise – Aghgol National Park,” and “Goygol National Park.”

The film “Azerbaijan. The Rescue of the Gazelles” will be screened in higher education institutions across the country at the initiative of IDEA, as well as at the association’s resource centers in Baku and Ganja. In addition, the film is planned to be shown in other countries and at various international events.

The project aims to promote the natural beauty of Azerbaijan domestically and abroad, as well as to raise public awareness of the importance of environmental protection.