The presentation ceremony of the book “Hasrat” (Longing), translated into Danish by the well-known poet-publicist, member of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union (AWU), and academician of the International Academy of Sciences, Emil Nasirli, was held at the “Natavan” club of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union.
Salim Babullaoglu, secretary of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union for international relations and translation issues, poet, translator, essayist, and one of the pioneers of Azerbaijani poetry in the years of independence, introduced Emil Nasirli and provided brief information about his life and work.
Salim Babullaoglu emphasized that Emil Nasirli’s feelings and thoughts about his homeland and nation run like a red thread through his entire body of work. This is very natural. Knowing oneself and knowing who one is, is the primary condition for living, existing, and not being deceived in life for every individual, society, and nation. Knowing oneself, above all, means trusting oneself. The existence or absence of a person who lacks this confidence is unknown. Because self-confidence is the primary source of moral strength and physical power needed to live. Among those who know and trust themselves, poets stand in the first place. When I say poet, I do not mean everyone who writes poetry. If one out of a hundred people who write poetry is a poet, that is a great thing.
It was noted that Emil Nasirli was born on July 12, 1974, in Baku. From 1981 to 1991, he studied at secondary school No. 174 named after M.A. Sabir in the Nasimi district of Baku. In 1991-1996, he graduated from the Azerbaijan State University of Economics with a degree in merchandising. From 1997 to 2000, he worked as a credit specialist, accountant, and chief accountant at the “Tachizat” branch of the Azerbaijan Industrial Investment Bank.
From 2000 to 2005, he continued his career at the United Universal Joint Stock Bank (BUS Bank) as a chief specialist and head of the credit department. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as a credit specialist and later as deputy manager of the Sabunchu branch of “Kapital Bank” OJSC. During his time in the country’s banking sector, he was repeatedly awarded congratulatory letters, special lapel pins, and commemorative gifts by the bank’s management for long-term continuous professional service. Since 2008, Emil Nasirli has directed his activities toward journalism, achieving objective and comprehensive coverage of events occurring in the world and our country. He has supported the policy aimed at promoting the ideas of Azerbaijanism founded by the great leader Heydar Aliyev and continues to contribute to the development and promotion of journalism by supporting the multi-faceted successful policy currently being successfully continued by the worthy successor of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, President Ilham Aliyev.
In 2004, Emil Nasirli founded the international magazine “Azerbaijanim” by registering it with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since then, the “Azerbaijanim” international magazine has become an influential publication, distributed not only within the republic but also in various countries around the world, sparking interest among a wide readership. The “Azerbaijanim” international magazine, prepared and published exquisitely under the editorship of Emil Nasirli, has modernized its texture, narrative strategy, and layout, striving to continue cooperation with diaspora organizations and international institutions. The content of the creative works, the originality of their presentation forms, and the compliance of the materials with genre requirements have always attracted readers.
In 2016, Emil Nasirli became the winner of the competition organized by the “Azerbaijan-Ukraine” International Alliance for the best representatives of mass media, receiving the “Journalist of the Year” award, and was awarded the “Journalist of the Year-2016” prize based on the jury’s decision at the award ceremony held in Baku. In 2010, for his professional creative work and tireless efforts in promoting Azerbaijani realities to the world, Emil Nasirli was awarded the “Golden Pen” media prize. Since 2021, he has been elected an academician of the International Academy of Sciences /AS H&E/, an honorary professor at the Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics, and an academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. In 2022, he was awarded the “Golden Lapel Pin” of the Azerbaijan branch of the International Academy of Sciences, and in 2025, the jubilee medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan “150th Anniversary of the Azerbaijani National Press (1875–2025)”.
Emil Nasirli is a member of the Azerbaijan Journalists Union, as well as the Writers’ Unions of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Georgia. Emil Nasirli is the author of over 150 publications, including 14 books and over 300 socio-political and scientific-publicistic articles in leading scientific journals of local and foreign publishers.
Speaking at the meeting, the well-known poet-publicist Emil Nasirli first expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union and the guests who accepted his invitation and attended the presentation ceremony of his exquisitely printed and Danish-translated poetry book “Hasrat”. Then, discussing the poems in the newly published “Hasrat” book, he emphasized that the concept of conscience holds an important place in his philosophical worldview. Therefore, he stressed that in his work, a person bears responsibility for their words, actions, and position. “For me, silence can sometimes be the wrong choice. This approach shows that ethical philosophy – a person’s moral duty – is at the forefront of my work. As a poet, I call on my readers not to remain indifferent, to stand on the side of truth and justice, and to be loyal in friendship,” noted Emil Nasirli, reciting his poem “Friends” written in 2015.
At the meeting, Asad Jahangir, critic and representative of the Center for Literary Translation and Literary Relations of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union; Fikrat Nagiyev, director of the Encyclopedia Publishing House and academician of the International Academy of Sciences; Huseyn Duygu, a member of the Danish and Turkish Writers’ Unions who lives and works in Denmark and translated the “Hasrat” book into Danish; Ali Nur, Azerbaijani theater actor and People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and others spoke, stating that Emil Nasirli is one of the young poets striving to say something new. The freshness in his poems stems from a creative attitude toward tradition. The uniqueness in Emil Nasirli’s poems begins with his original approach to words. When he re-addresses frequently used artistic descriptive means and similes, he does not repeat what has been said, but creates something new. He also manages to see new shades in an object or subject while giving it meaning and bringing them into poetry.
At the end of the event, poet-publicist Emil Nasirli gifted the Danish-translated “Hasrat” book to the event participants.