Day: January 24, 2024

Representatives of China and Nauru held a ceremony in the capital of the People’s Republic of China to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

1. Turkey, Iran agree on need for regional stability amid Israel’s war on Gaza  Al Jazeera English
2. Turkey, Iran agree on need to avoid escalating Mideast tensions -Erdogan  Reuters
3. Erdogan and Iranian counterpart warn against ‘steps’ that threaten Mideast stability  The Times of Israel

Khamenei Jettisons Rouhani, The Man Once Regarded As Future Leader  ایران اینترنشنال

U.S. carries out airstrikes in Iraq targeting Iranian-backed groups  CNN

Abkhazia mourns the loss of burnt gallery

A memorial gathering in Sukhum was held on 24 January in remembrance of the recent fire at the National Art Gallery.

On the night of January 21, the National Art Gallery in Abkhazia was engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire is attributed to a short circuit in the electrical wiring. The blaze resulted in the destruction of over 4,000 works by renowned Abkhazian artists, including Alexander Shervashidze-Chachba, Varvara Bubnova, Marina Eshba, Valery Gamgia, and others. Only 200 paintings were salvaged. The incident is deeply felt in the republic, being regarded as a national tragedy.

The gathering took place at the monument to the first professional Abkhazian artist, Alexander Shervashidze-Chachba. Attendees were primarily those still grappling with the profound loss, including cultural figures of Abkhazia, representatives from the public, and members of the creative and scientific intelligentsia.

Many expressed attending the monument as if mourning at a funeral.

Notably, only the head of the presidential administration was present at the rally.

Director of the National Art Gallery, Suram Sakania, fought back tears as he offered apologies to everyone, acknowledging himself as one of the contributors to the tragedy of January 21.

“I bear a lot of blame. Why couldn’t I organize actions earlier? Why didn’t I raise my voice so that it would finally be heard? [Now] we have no possibility to recover the Chachba-Shervashidze paintings. We have never been able to establish a museum in his name, where his works could be preserved,” Sakania lamented.

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• In Abkhazia, the National Art Gallery was completely consumed by fire
• National Gallery fire in Abkhazia: ‘Soot under the nails is all that remains of my people’s cultural heritage’
• Dancing, language, archery – “national hobbies” gaining popularity in Abkhazia

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As stated by artist Nodar Tsvizhba, young Abkhazian artists were nurtured on the creations of Shervashidze-Chachba, and now they are left with ashes as their inspiration.

Honored Worker of Culture Nuri Kvarchia expressed hope for a thorough investigation. He urged proactive measures, emphasizing the need to preserve and recover whatever artworks can be saved.

Kvarchiya suggested establishing a fund, offering to contribute his annual salary towards this cause.

Human rights activist Asida Shakryl deems the events of the night of January 21 as a shameful occurrence:

“It is shameful that this happened in our era. The incident is a consequence of our indifference, irresponsibility, and apathy towards our culture, history, and memory.

I am here to apologize for our failure in preserving the legacy of the great artist that was entrusted to us.

To the future generation, I want to express my regret that we, as a society, have been so indifferent and irresponsible.

Primarily, this is the irresponsibility of our authorities, and not just the current ones.”

Towards the end of the rally, Ruslan Khashig, general director of the TV channel “Abaza-TV,” addressed the crowd. Acknowledging that his channel had showcased the entire archive related to the National Art Gallery, he offered an apology and knelt before the monument of Alexander Shervashidze-Chachba.

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Azerbaijani delegation decides to cease its engagement with and presence at PACE  News.Az

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