2008 Woodie Awards
Students get a taste of Azerbaijan life
By: Aimie Rivera
Issue date: 5/14/08 Section: Campus Life
The Union Program Board hosted its first ever Azeri Day on May 7 in the Carol Burke Student Lounge.
The purpose of the event was to give students at California State University, Stanislaus an inside look at the Republic of Azerbaijan, a country most Americans are unfamiliar with.
Traditional Azerbaijan music played in the background of the student lounge while waiting for the presentation to begin and the country's flag was displayed at the front for all to see.
Beef and lamb shish-kabobs were served with rice to give students a taste of Azeri food.
When one first entered, they were immediately greeted with a "table of culture." On the table was a display of books, CDs and decorative plates and coasters. The artwork on each plate told a story, one being the story of Leyli and Majnun which is similar to Romeo and Juliet.
There were also counting beads made out of animal bones on the table which are typically used by the elderly as a relaxation method, much like a stress ball.
CSU Stanislaus international student Vagif Ismayil then began a power point presentation introducing the audience to Azerbaijan; sophomore Orkhan Mahammadi shared the history.
Azerbaijan is bordered with Iran, Turkey, Russia and Armenia; it has a population of about eight million people. About 94 percent of the population is Islamic, with the remaining 6 percent being Christian, Jewish, Protestant and Catholic.
The primary language is Azerbaijani, but Lezgi, Russian and Armenian are fairly popular as well. Azerbaijan is primarily known for its oil, and more than 9,000 barrels of oil are produced each day.
"Azerbaijan is one of the oldest places on Earth," Mahammadi said. "Some of the first human bones ever found were in a cave here."
Mahammadi referred to the Azix Cave, found in the Caucasus Mountains. These people were the original Caucasians because of their location in this mountain range found in Azerbaijan.
A representative from the Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan came as well to share information about his organization in the Los Angeles area. The consulate is devoted to "promoting the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Azerbaijan and the western states of the United States."
The purpose of the event was to give students at California State University, Stanislaus an inside look at the Republic of Azerbaijan, a country most Americans are unfamiliar with.
Traditional Azerbaijan music played in the background of the student lounge while waiting for the presentation to begin and the country's flag was displayed at the front for all to see.
Beef and lamb shish-kabobs were served with rice to give students a taste of Azeri food.
When one first entered, they were immediately greeted with a "table of culture." On the table was a display of books, CDs and decorative plates and coasters. The artwork on each plate told a story, one being the story of Leyli and Majnun which is similar to Romeo and Juliet.
There were also counting beads made out of animal bones on the table which are typically used by the elderly as a relaxation method, much like a stress ball.
CSU Stanislaus international student Vagif Ismayil then began a power point presentation introducing the audience to Azerbaijan; sophomore Orkhan Mahammadi shared the history.
Azerbaijan is bordered with Iran, Turkey, Russia and Armenia; it has a population of about eight million people. About 94 percent of the population is Islamic, with the remaining 6 percent being Christian, Jewish, Protestant and Catholic.
The primary language is Azerbaijani, but Lezgi, Russian and Armenian are fairly popular as well. Azerbaijan is primarily known for its oil, and more than 9,000 barrels of oil are produced each day.
"Azerbaijan is one of the oldest places on Earth," Mahammadi said. "Some of the first human bones ever found were in a cave here."
Mahammadi referred to the Azix Cave, found in the Caucasus Mountains. These people were the original Caucasians because of their location in this mountain range found in Azerbaijan.
A representative from the Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan came as well to share information about his organization in the Los Angeles area. The consulate is devoted to "promoting the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Azerbaijan and the western states of the United States."
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