Knowledge - 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games · My heartfelt gratitude goes to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the First Vice President of the Republic of

MEDIA GUIDEOPENING CEREMONY

12 May 2017Baku Olympic Stadium

Embargo: 12 May 2017, 22:00 (Baku time) 01

Knowledge

Introduction Words of welcome 2

Azerbaijan at a glance 6

Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games 7

Ceremony overview Key points 8

Scene by scene Opening Ceremony 12

Credits Principal performers 61

Baku 2017 Executive 62

Ceremonies team 63

Sponsors 66

Information in this media guide is embargoed until 22:00 (Baku time) on 12 May 2017.

During the Ceremony there are some things we’d like to keep secret for the audience until the moment they’re revealed, so please don’t spoil the surprise!


HRH Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin AbdulazizPresident, Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation

Friends from all over the world, welcome to Baku for the fourth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games.

The Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation is committed to harnessing the power of sport to foster understanding and unity across the Islamic world.

Sport brings together participants and spectators in an atmosphere of cooperation and community, and provides the foundation for lasting bonds of friendship. The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games will see competitors from four continents come together in the spirit of peace and respect, providing inspiration for spectators of all faiths and nationalities.

I would like to thank the people of our wonderful host nation – Azerbaijan – and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva for her leadership as Chair of the Baku 2017 Organising Committee. Azerbaijan is passionate about sport, and has shown unwavering commitment to hosting an event of the highest standard. I have no doubt that these Games will be a credit to the hard work and commitment of Baku 2017’s organisers and volunteers, and that our athletes will be provided with the perfect conditions in which to excel.

I would like to wish all our athletes the best of luck as they embark on what will be 10 days of excellent sporting competition.

The Games will see competitors from four continents come together in the spirit of peace and respect, providing inspiration for spectators of all faiths and nationalities.

Azad RahimovMinister of Youth & Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee

Tonight, it’s Azerbaijan’s privilege to welcome athletes and spectators from across the Islamic world to Baku, a beautiful city that has been transformed over the last five years by the power of sport.

This evening’s Ceremony will be an unforgettable celebration of unity and solidarity, as Azerbaijan honours its heritage while continuing to build a reputation as a centre for international exchange and major sporting events, including the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this summer and UEFA European Football Championship matches in 2020.

The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games are the culmination of over 20 months of careful planning and preparation, and we are ready to host thousands of athletes at 16 state-of-the-art sporting venues.

Over the coming 10 days, you will enjoy competitions across 20 different sports, from popular Olympic events such as Gymnastics and Wrestling, to up-and-coming sports such as Wushu and Azerbaijani Zurkhaneh, to fully integrated Para Athletics and Blind Judo events.

It is this commitment to inclusion and solidarity that will inspire the athletes of the future, and I look forward to seeing the values of friendly competition and fair play come to life at Baku 2017.

The Games are the culmination of over 20 months of careful planning and preparation, and we are ready to host thousands of athletes at 16 state-of-the-art sporting venues.


Catherine UgwuDirector of Ceremonies & Executive Producer

These Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku come at a critical moment in world history. A time marked by uncertainty and discord, when our differences seem to divide rather than unite us. Tonight, our Ceremony seeks instead to focus on what brings us together, as nations and as people.

Ours is a universal story of peace rooted in the culture and traditions of Azerbaijan. A timely reminder of the enormous contributions Islamic civilisation has made to everything we see and do today. A tale of solidarity and hope filled with optimism for our collective future.

Thousands of people from across the world have worked many months to make this Ceremony a reality – I’d like to thank them all for their creativity, passion and commitment.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Baku 2017 Organising Committee, Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Minister of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov. Without their trust and support, none of this would have been possible.

Finally, a huge thank you to the people of Azerbaijan. This is truly a country of shining stars who represent the very best of the human spirit. I hope tonight we make you all proud.

Our Ceremony is a universal story of peace rooted in the culture and traditions of Azerbaijan. A timely reminder of the enormous contributions Islamic civilisation has made to everything we see and do today.

Nathan M. WrightArtistic Director

Tonight, I am proud to share with you ‘Knowledge’ – the Opening Ceremony of the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games.

At the heart of our Ceremony is a little girl from Baku, Mina. We follow her on a journey of discovery, guided by her friendly kite. Along the way she learns about her identity and heritage, her beliefs and dreams. By the end, her hope for the future is all-embracing, her joy an inspiration. Mina’s story is a celebration of the power of community and unity. A wish, for a better world living in peace and harmony.

Creating this Ceremony – living and working in beautiful Baku, learning about the rich culture of Azerbaijan and the extraordinary accomplishments of Islamic civilisation – has been a true privilege.

I would like to thank the thousands of performers and the Ceremonies team who have brought my story to life with their talent and dedication. Working alongside you all has been a pleasure.

For more than a year now, I have been moved and inspired by the generosity and warmth of the people of Azerbaijan. I hope I have captured the spirit of your wonderful country. Tonight’s Ceremony is yours to enjoy.

At the heart of our Ceremony is a little girl from Baku, Mina. Her story is a celebration of the power of community and unity. A wish, for a better world living in peace and harmony.


Azerbaijan at a glance

Azerbaijan, the largest country in the Caucasus region, is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Its eastern coastline is bounded by the Caspian Sea – the world’s largest enclosed inland body of water.

A land of plentiful natural resources, age-old culture and deeply engrained hospitality, Azerbaijan has always played a vital role in the region. It’s a nexus of ancient historical empires. But also a new nation – independent since 1991 – and a youthful country, with 40% of the population aged under 25.

Azerbaijan enjoys a booming economy that achieved the second highest GDP growth in the world between 2000 and 2010. The boom is largely driven by natural resources, but there are also growing agriculture, tourism and events industries.

Nine out of 11 climate types are present in Azerbaijan – from semi-deserts to mountain tundras. At the extremes, temperatures can reach 46°C and drop as low as -33°C.

Food is deeply rooted in the history, traditions and values of the nation. Aside from wonderful soups and kebabs, one of the most widespread dishes is the rice-based plov. Pomegranates – a symbol of unity – are also a feature of the cuisine.

The cosmopolitan capital, Baku, sits on the shores of the Caspian Sea surrounded by semi-desert. Its Walled City, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, is ringed by burgeoning new skyscrapers yet, barely a few hours’ drive away, timeless rural villages are backed by the soaring Caucasus mountains.

RECENT AND FORTHCOMING MAJOR EVENTS IN AZERBAIJAN In 2015, the inaugural European Games and the Chess World Cup were held in Baku.

The following year, Azerbaijan hosted the World Chess Olympiad, Arena Polo World Cup, UEFA European Under-17 Championship and AGF Trophy World Cup 2016 Rhythmic Gymnastics Finals.

Looking ahead, in the summer of 2017 the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will see Formula 1 cars racing through the streets of Baku for the second year running; and later in the year, the Women’s European Volleyball Championship will be held in the city. In 2020, Azerbaijan will host the European Karate Championship, plus three group stage football matches and a quarter-final of the UEFA Euro Championship at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games

In July 2013, Baku was announced as the host city for the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games – an exciting multi-sport event uniting the Islamic world.

Athletes from more than 50 Islamic countries will come together from 12 to 22 May 2017 to represent their nations over 10 days of competition across 20 different sports. They include 24 disciplines (Athletics and Para Athletics, Aquatics: Diving, Aquatics: Swimming, Aquatics: Water Polo, Basketball 3x3, Boxing, Football, Gymnastics: Artistic, Gymnastics: Rhythmic, Handball, Judo and Blind Judo, Karate, Shooting, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling: Greco-Roman, Wrestling: Freestyle, Wushu and Zurkhaneh) in 16 state-of-the-art competition venues across Baku.

The Organising Committee was set up by decree of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, under the leadership of Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee (AISGOC) will organise and run the Games in cooperation with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF).

Azerbaijan has always had a passion for sport – recently hosting the Baku 2015 European Games – and its investment in Baku 2017 will pay dividends in the future as the country hosts further events.

10 competition days

16 venues

20 sports

24 disciplines

50+ teams

269 medal events

1,585 medals

2,800 athletes from four continents


Ceremony overview: key points

• The Opening Ceremony of the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games is another landmark event for Azerbaijan and the international sporting community. Created by world-leading Betty Productions Ltd – led by Director and Executive Producer, Catherine Ugwu – and international artistic, production and technical teams, it promises to be moving and memorable.

• The Ceremony tells a universal story of peace and hope, and celebrates the enormous contribution Islamic civilisation has made to everything around us. Springing from the age-old culture of Azerbaijan, it follows a little girl and her kite on an inspirational journey of knowledge and discovery.

• Baku Olympic Stadium has been transformed into an enormous theatre space equipped with a state-of-the-art projection system.

• The stage design – an interlaced pattern of circles forming a central hexagon in tribute to the extraordinary geometric designs characteristic of Islamic art – features two minarets, each 28m high.

• The vast screen (85m wide by 35m high) is filled with rich video content developed over many months – from hyper-real animations to stunning cinematic sequences.

• The Ceremony is brought to life by 2,200 volunteer performers from Azerbaijan. They are joined on stage by more than 40 animals – horses, camels and donkeys.

• The music heard in tonight’s Ceremony – performed by more than 100 world-class musicians – features works written by more than a dozen Azerbaijani composers, including the legendary Uzeyir Hajibayli, Fikret Amirov and Gara Garayev.

• Two world-renowned performers from Azerbaijan are with us in the Stadium this evening: mugham vocalist Alim Qasimov and percussionist Natig Shirinov (see biographies p61).

• The set took six weeks to build, but it will take just 24 hours to take it all down so that the stadium is ready for the Athletics (16–20 May).

• More than 5,000 people from 31 different countries have helped make the Baku 2017 Ceremonies a reality, including production staff, technical crew and cast.

Facts & stats

6 kilometres of blackout fabric used to create the stage backdrop that transforms the stadium into a theatre.

75 kilometres of power cable and 7 megawatts of generator power are used for the Ceremony.

130 projectors with 2.3 million lumens of projection capacity.

300+ speakers and 12 kilometres of cabling for the Stadium sound system.

1,000+ lighting fixtures connected by 60 kilometres of cabling.

3,000 tonnes of air, land and sea freight came from 17 countries to create the Ceremony.

3,000+ cast in-ear headpieces keep everyone in the loop.

Closing Ceremony

Gilavar: Monday 22 May Rooted in the country’s elemental landscapes, the Closing Ceremony explores Azerbaijan’s beautiful heritage and takes a joyous look at the city of winds, Baku, where the gentle breeze of the Gilavar warms our hearts with positive change. Together we will celebrate the great achievements of our athletes and share the spirit of the Games – unity and solidarity – with the world.

For more information on Ceremoniesvisit baku2017.com


Ceremonies team

Director of Ceremonies & Executive Producer Catherine Ugwu

Artistic Director Nathan M. Wright

Producer Kate Hinchliffe

Head of Business & Finance Mark Smith

Lighting Designer Adam Bassett

Costume Designer Tim Chappel

Music Director Mike Dixon

Aerial Choreographer Phil Hayes

Visual Content Director Richard Lindsay

Head of Choreography Michael Peña

Production Designer Joanna Scotcher

Audio Designer Scott Willsallen

Knowledge: scene by scene

12 Countdown

14 Salaam

16 Glorious Land

18 Journey from the Caspian

20 Athletes of the Islamic World

22 ISSF Flag & Games Oaths

24 Let the Games Begin

26 Unity

28 Harmony

30 Identity

32 Belief

34 Purity

36 Knowledge

50 Dream

52 Joy

54 Hope

56 Inspiration

58 Peace

See biographies p63-65.


Countdown

A kite takes to the air in Baku’s Old City. It catches the attention of a little girl, Mina, and her friends, who chase it through the city all the way to the Stadium.

We see some of Baku’s iconic landmarks: the Flame Towers, Maiden Tower, Philharmonia Garden, the Heydar Aliyev Centre and, finally, the Olympic Stadium.

Inside the Stadium children hold kites with numbers counting down from 10 to one.

OverviewWe then welcome the official party:

Ilham AliyevPresident of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Mehriban AliyevaFirst Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Baku 2017 Organising Committee

Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-OthaimeenSecretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

Mina and her kite are our heroes tonight – we will follow their story.

Duration 00:03:45

Cast

Yashar Bakhish’s ‘Morning in Baku’.

Music

In a video, a flying kite leads us from the Old City through Baku to the Stadium.

Action

Once the countdown is complete, we welcome the official party.

Inside the Stadium children holding numbered kites count down to the start of the Ceremony. Fireworks ignite behind each child as we go from 10 to one.

Baku Olympic Stadium sits on the shores of Lake Boyukshor, the second largest lake in Azerbaijan with a surface area of 9.2 square kilometres.

Water from natural sources across Azerbaijan will play a central role in tonight’s Ceremony, as a symbol of unity.

Background notes

6The number of girls specially trained to dance, act and fly as Mina. All are highly-skilled young athletes, and members of Azerbaijan’s national rhythmic gymnastics team. See biographies p61.

Facts & stats


Salaam

With a proud and open heart, Azerbaijan welcomes the Islamic world – more than 50 nations coming together in the spirit of peace and understanding.

In the Islamic calendar, a crescent moon marks the start of each new month. These Games signal a fresh chapter in the long history of our solidarity and cooperation.

We have gathered here in Baku as friends, to celebrate and strengthen all that unites us.

700 volunteer performers fill the stage. They hold reflective hexagons to create a series of shapes.

They are joined by 10 male dancers from the Azerbaijan State Ensemble, who perform with 7-metre-long silks.

CastEldar Mansurov’s ‘Azerbaijani Dances: Yalli’.

MusicOverview

Duration 00:03:53

The cast form a crescent moon and star.

Action

The cast flip their hexagons to reveal the flag of Azerbaijan.

The cast form the Baku 2017 logo.

Hexagon patterns, such as the honeycomb, are among the strongest naturally-occurring structures.

The 700 hexagons that come together on stage tonight represent the Baku 2017 Games motto: solidarity is our strength.

Background notes

15the number of cresent moons that appear in the flags of participating teams, including the flag of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation. Crescent moons also top our two minarets.

700hexagons on stage in this sequence.

2,200the number of volunteer performers who appear on stage tonight.

12the number of weeks of rehearsal for the volunteers.

115,000+the number of meals served to cast during rehearsals.

Facts & stats


Glorious Land

Azerbaijan. Famed ‘land of fire’. Youthful yet rooted in age-old culture. Blessed with extraordinary landscapes and great natural riches. Filled with pride for the past and promise for the future. In the words sung by all her people – a glorious land.

The national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, known as the ‘March of Azerbaijan’, was composed in 1919 by Uzeyir Hajibayli with words by Ahmad Javad.

Tonight we hear a version orchestrated by Rauf Aliyev and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

MusicOverview

The three stripes of the Azerbaijani flag symbolise:Turkic heritage (blue), progress and democracy (red), and pride in Islamic civilisation (green).

The Azerbaijani flag that flies in Baku, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, is one of the largest in the world – 35 x 70m. It tops a 162m high flagpole.

Background notes

11members of the armed forces carry and raise the flag.

15height in metres of the flag pole inside the Stadium.

Facts & stats

Duration 00:04:17

The flag of Azerbaijan is carried by eight and raised by three servicemen of the National Guard of the Special State Protection Service. It’s then raised as the national anthem plays.

Action

Fireworks shoot from the Stadium roof in the national colours of Azerbaijan.


Journey from the Caspian

Almost 40 days ago, waters from the shores of the Caspian were sent throughout the country by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Ilham Aliyev – to bring the Games closer to everyone. In return, crystal waters collected by children from lakes and rivers, waterfalls and springs across the land are united here tonight.

Azerbaijan and her people welcome the world to the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games.

On stage tonight are 16 children of Azerbaijan:

Cast

Rovshan Asgarzade’s ‘Opening Theme’ and Azad Valiyev’s ‘Towards the Sun’.

Music

From BakuHayat AllahverdiyevaFrom NakhchivanMurad AliyarovFrom AstaraMirrahil AgayevFrom ShirvanSama AliyevaFrom SabirabadTahir GuliyevFrom AgjabediFatima ShirinovaFrom Horadiz city, FizuliZenfira ZalovaFrom GanjaAysu Salahova

From ShamkirMurad NamazovFrom MingachevirIsfandiyar KarimovFrom GakhAyshan HuseynovaFrom GabalaShafiga BayramzadeFrom GusarMatin BadalovFrom GubaGunel GonagovaFrom GaradaghMirakram BaghirliFrom SumgayitSalim Imranli

Overview

Duration 00:05:43

A video on the screens shows the Journey from the Caspian Launch Ceremony, and children collecting water from locations of great natural beauty across Azerbaijan.

Action

The children of Azerbaijan enter holding copper vessels, and pour the waters of Azerbaijan into the large copper bowl on stage.

A pyrotechnic waterfall ignites behind the children.

The Baku 2017 Water Vessels, beautifully crafted in three sizes from smooth and hammered copper, were inspired by Azerbaijani metal- working techniques and traditional vessel designs from across the Islamic world.

The Journey from the Caspian began on 5 April 2017 with the Launch Ceremony at the Stone Chronicle Museum in Baku, and ends here tonight at the Olympic Stadium.

Background notes

8diameter in metres of the copper water bowl in the centre of the stage.

Journey from the Caspian3,000+ kilometres

37 days

16 locations visiting 5 lakes, 1 reservoir, 3 rivers, 1 spring, 3 waterfalls, and the Caspian Sea

125 copper vessels

Facts & stats


Athletes of the Islamic World

Here with us in Baku from four continents, walking together in solidarity – the athletes of the Islamic world.

After years of training, dedication and sacrifice, this is their moment. Thousands of women and men will enter 16 sporting arenas to compete for more than 1,000 medals across 20 sports and 10 days. Their excellence, their friendship, their respect for one another inspire us all.

Our joyous Parade sees teams from more than 50 countries enter the Stadium (in English alphabetical order) and concludes with the athletes of Azerbaijan – proud host of the Games.

Each team is led into the Stadium by their flag, a man holding a placard designed to look like an Islamic armillary sphere (see p41) – a tribute to the distances the athletes have travelled round the globe to be here tonight – and a woman carrying a Baku 2017 Water Vessel.

2,800athletes will compete at Baku 2017.

50+ teams.

130 volunteers welcome the athletes.

Facts & stats

The Parade includes Azerbaijani pop songs by: Sabina Askerova Abbas BagirovBrilliant DadashovaKamil EstemNatavan Habibi Elnur Huseynov Aygun Kazimova Farid MammadovSahil Umud ft. Narmin Karimbayova Zamiq

Baku-born, Natig Shirinov is considered one of the greatest naghara drum players of our time. This evening, with his Natig Rhythm Group, he performs ‘Four Seasons’ and ‘Sticks’ for the entrance of Team Azerbaijan. See biographies p61.

MusicOverview

Duration 00:55:00

Teams enter the Stadium in English alphabetical order. The host nation,Azerbaijan, conclude the Parade.

Parade of Athletes

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Benin Brunei Darussalam Burkina Faso Cameroon Chad Comoros Côte d’Ivoire Djibouti Egypt Gabon Gambia Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Indonesia Iran Iraq Jordan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Lebanon Malaysia

Maldives Mali Mauritania Morocco Mozambique Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Suriname Syria Tajikistan Togo Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Yemen Azerbaijan

Each team is led into the Stadium by their flag, a placard bearer and a water bearer holding a copper vessel.

Action

The flags of the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games fly together.

Natig Shirinov and another 19 drummers perform as Team Azerbaijan enter the Stadium. The group play on to close the Parade.


ISSF Flag & Games Oaths

The Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) – a section of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – is responsible for the direction and control of the Islamic Solidarity Games.

The OIC is the world’s second largest inter-governmental organisation (after the United Nations), and has a membership of 57 states across four continents.

This evening, athletes from more than 50 nations are united under one banner that represents them all – the flag of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF).

The flag is carried into the Stadium by 10 sporting champions from Azerbaijan, each of them an inspiration.

It is then handed to 10 members of the armed forces and raised by three additional members. They are all servicemen of the National Guard of the Special State Protection Service. The ISSF flag flies beside the flag of the host nation – the Republic of Azerbaijan.

One athlete and one referee from Azerbaijan then take oaths on behalf of everyone participating in the Games, pledging honour and fair play, honesty and integrity.

Background notes

Benjamin Britten’s ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’.

Music

Overview

Radik IsayevTaekwondo athleteOlympic gold medallist at Rio 2016

Fuad AslanovBoxing refereeOlympic bronze medallist at Athens 2004

Ten outstanding sporting champions from Azerbaijan.

Flagbearers

Namig AbdullayevFreestyle WrestlingOlympic gold medallist at Sydney 2000

Irada AshumovaShootingOlympic bronze medallist at Athens 2004

Nazim HuseynovJudoOlympic gold medallist at Barcelona 1992

Elnur MammadliJudoOlympic gold medallist at Beijing 2008

Farid MansurovGreco-Roman Wrestling Olympic gold medallist at Athens 2004

ZemfiraMeftahatdinovaShootingOlympic gold medallist at Sydney 2000

Movlud MiraliyevJudoOlympic bronze medallist at Beijing 2008

Niyamaddin PashayevTaekwondoWorld Championshipgold medallist at Jeju 2001

Rafiga ShabanovaHandballOlympic gold medallist at Montreal 1976

Lyudmila ShubinaHandballOlympic gold medallist at Montreal 1976

Oath takers

The ISSF flag is carried into the Stadium by 10 Azerbaijani sporting champions.

Action

Oaths are taken on behalf of all the athletes and referees.

The ISSF flag is raised by servicemen.

Duration 00:05:00


Let the Games Begin

After 20 months of careful planning and preparation involving the dedicated efforts of thousands, everything is ready. Our athletes are here. The moment has come to open the Games.

Mehriban AliyevaFirst Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Baku 2017 Organising Committeedelivers a speech in Azerbaijani and English.

Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-OthaimeenSecretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation delivers a speech in English.

The Games are then declared open by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

Let the Fourth Islamic Solidarity Games begin!

Fanfares for speeches and the opening of the Games by Mike Dixon.

Music12,500pieces of pyrotechnics are used during the Ceremony.

200hours of programming to sychronise the fireworks with the music.

Facts & stats

Texts of the speeches will be available to download from the media extranet.

Overview

Duration 00:07:30

Speeches by Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Baku 2017 Organising Committee; Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-OthaimeenSecretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Action

Fireworks explode from the Stadium roof, spelling out ‘Baku 2017’ and lighting up the night sky.

Baku is a key city on the world stage, attracting landmark international events such as the inaugural European Games in 2015.

This summer the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will see Formula 1 cars racing through the streets of Baku.

In 2020, three group stage football matches and a quarter-final of the UEFA Euro Championship will be held here in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Background notes

Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, declares the Games open.


Unity

Water is essential. It gives life to every living thing. To embrace and accept is its nature. And it has a quiet power. With patience and persistence, water can smooth the hardest stone. United, our many nations can share these qualities – solidarity is our strength.

Tonight, the waters of more than 50 Islamic countries join together as a symbol of our world living in harmony. This is the source of our story.

57 volunteer performers from Azerbaijan carry copper vessels filled with waters representing the 57 members of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation.

Cast

Gara Garayev’s ‘Seven Beauties, (Dance of the Maghrebian Beauty)’.

Music8diameter in metres of the copper water bowl in the centre of the stage.

Facts & stats

Overview

Duration 00:01:43

A woman enters through the doors on to the stage, holding a copper water vessel. Earlier this evening, she led the Azerbaijani team into the Stadium.

Action

She is joined by the other 56 water bearers from the Parade of Athletes. Together they represent the 57 members of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation.

The women pour water into the bowl, which becomes a beautiful fountain. The Islamic world is symbolically united.

Baku is famous for its fountains, found in squares and parks across the city. Fountains Square alone boasts more than five, and there are two musical fountains along the seaside Boulevard.

Background notes


Harmony

Our story begins.

Mina, a little girl from Baku, plays in Philharmonia Garden with her grandfather. He completes the kite she’s holding by adding a fourth ribbon to its tail.

She explores the beautiful park, sharing laughter and light with everyone and everything around her. Happy, she wonders how to bring peace and harmony to the whole world.

Her grandfather explains: to change the path of our future, we must first understand our past. And so he sends Mina on an exciting journey of knowledge and discovery, with the kite as her friendly guide.

120 cast join Mina in Philharmonia Garden, including 20 members of the Azerbaijan State Children’s Philharmonic.

Mina’s grandfather is played by Nuraddin Mehdikhanli, a renowned stage and film actor and People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan.See biographies p61.

CastOverview

Duration 00:03:13

Mina’s grandfather adds a ribbon to her kite.

Action

Farhad Badalbeyli’s ‘The Sea’.

MusicMina waves goodbye to her grandfather and, with her kite, leaves on a journey of knowledge and discovery.

Philharmonia Garden comes to life as Mina explores and plays.

An urban oasis established in the 19th century beside the walls of Baku’s Old City, Philharmonia Garden today has a beautiful fountain at its heart.

Background notes

85 x 35mthe width and height of the projection screen, lit by 130 projectors.

12months taken to create the projections, ranging from hyper-real animations to stunning cinematic sequences.

Facts & stats


Identity

Mina magically flies far from Baku with her kite, across the ancient land of Azerbaijan to discover the age-old petroglyphs at Gobustan.

Soaring over glorious landscapes, with eternal fires that burn from the ground at the Ateshgah Fire Temple and Yanar Dag, Mina enters the world of myth to meet the simurgh, a fantastical bird of many colours that she helps to hatch from its egg.

Mina leaves with a beautiful feather – a gift from the grateful simurgh. If our little girl is ever in danger, burning the feather will bring her wondrous new friend to her side in an instant.

4 aerialists hanging from large spiral structures fly with Mina.

70 women perform with feathers.

20 performers do amazing acrobatic fire tricks.

Cast

Niyazi’s ‘Rast’ symphonic mugham.

Music

Overview

Duration 00:04:33

Mina flies through the air with four other performers, who hang from spiral structures and spin with silks, as the Gobustan petroglyphs are revealed on screen.

Action

Twenty people perform with fire, and lines of fire ignite in two pools to form buta shapes.

Mina finds the simurgh’s egg and helps the chick to hatch. She leaves with one of the simurgh’s feathers.

Recognised by UNESCO for their outstanding universal value, the Gobustan petroglyphs are among humankind’s first attempts to understand and record the world.

The simurgh is a mythical creature of Islamic literature said to possess the knowledge of all the ages. Powerful and benevolent, she is a guardian of heroes.

The buta is an ancient almond-shaped design symbolising fire and found on Azerbaijani decorative artworks and architecture.

Fire is a longstanding and important facet of Azerbaijani identity. The element appears in the very name Azerbaijan, which means ‘land of fire’ or ‘protector of the flame’.

Background notes9kilometres of aerial lines in the flying system with a capacity to carry more than 5 tonnes.

5months of aerial training to play Mina.

702-metre-long feathers appear on stage.

Facts & stats


Belief

The crescent moon rises over the Caspian and the mesmerising voice of Alim Qasimov – legendary mugham singer of Azerbaijan and the world – rings out from the top of a minaret.

This is the call to prayer. It draws Mina towards the Heydar Mosque, a magnificent place of devotion and tolerance where all denominations of Islam can pray together in unity.

Hundreds more people, holding lamps, are drawn in by the power of Islam. The flames of their faith flicker and swirl before Mina’s eyes like stars in a galaxy.

Alim Qasimov, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, is a living legend of the mugham tradition, and one of the world’s great singers. He was awarded the prestigious International Music Council – UNESCO Music Prize in 1999. See biographies p61.

Cast

Islamic call to prayer arranged and performed by Alim Qasimov.

Alakbar Taghiyev’s ‘You Didn’t Come’ plays as we see the intricate interiors of the Heydar Mosque on screen.

Music

Overview

Duration 00:04:36

Alim Qasimov sings the call to prayer from the top of a minaret.

Action

Mina is drawn towards the Heydar Mosque. She is joined by hundreds of people holding lamps. Beautiful illuminated patterns are formed by the moving lamps.

The Heydar Mosque in Baku is the largest in the Caucasus region. Completed in 2014, it was constructed in just two years.

Background notes

28height in metres of the two minarets either side of the stage.

260 people perform, each holding a lamp.

Facts & stats


Purity

Water has a great power, to cleanse. In Islam, it forms an essential part of prayer, a path to purity of body and spirit. We are all different, but the rituals and knowledge we share bind us together.

Wherever we come from or go, whatever our colour or gender, however old we are or young, water is a universal connection. It reminds us, across great distances and in all our diversity, that we are united in our beliefs and our humanity.

Jane Antonia Cornish & Daniel Heath’s ‘Written in the Stars’.

MusicOverview3locations where filming took place for tonight’s Ceremony: Azerbaijan, Australia and the Philippines.

Facts & stats

Duration 00:02:20

A film plays on the screens showing people of all ages from across the Islamic world going about the rituals of daily life.

Action


The Islamic Golden Age, roughly the 7th to 17th centuries, was a period of tremendous cultural and scientific advancement, bursting with ideas and inventions that shaped our world.

In the hands of the open-minded and curious, Islamic civilisation became a vehicle for unprecedented intellectual discovery, and the Golden Age left its mark on just about everything. The books we read, the music we play, the words we speak, the numbers we count, the buildings we use, the science we depend on – all were shaped, at least in part, by Islam.

Islamic civilisation was multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, optimistic, curious and literate, brimming with cutting-edge science and technology.

Knowledge

And now, a new adventure.

Mina travels back in time and across the world to come face to face with intrepid travellers, ornate domes, enchanting poets, the universe beyond our planet, and ingenious mechanical devices. These are among the treasures of the Islamic Golden Age when extraordinary advances in human civilisation were made in areas such as exploration, architecture, literature, astronomy and invention.

OverviewFikret Amirov’s‘One Thousand and One Nights’ is heard throughout this tribute to the Islamic Golden Age.

Music

Duration of Knowledge scenes 00:11:04

570people perform in Knowledge.

40+animals – horses, camels and donkeys – appear in this section. Trained for three months to perform in the Ceremony, they are looked after in stables built specially for them at the Stadium.

32bicyles are used to move some of the larger scenic items on and off the stage.

Facts & stats


Knowledge: Caravanserai

Mina’s journey begins in a bustling caravanserai – a place where the flow of commerce, culture and knowledge spread across a network of trade routes covering large parts of Asia, North Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Over 70 performers, a large trade wagon, live horses and camels, and puppet eagles and hawks bring the scene to life.

300+props give a sense of time and place, including: carpets and fabrics, musical instruments, miniature paintings, books and scrolls,tea and coffee,fanous lanterns,fruit, salt and nuts,coins and gems, miswak toothbrushes, and perfume bottles.

Facts & stats

Carpets have been made in Azerbaijan since the 2nd century BC. Their geometric patterns, vivid colours and craftsmanship are recognised around the world. In 2010, UNESCO added Azerbaijani carpet weaving to their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Elements drawn from the cultural heritage of every nation participating in the Games all play their part in this celebration of the Islamic Golden Age. They appear on stage as characters, scenic pieces, props and costumes, as well as on screen.

Three traditional Azerbaijani musical instruments appear in this scene: a wind instrument called a balaban, the stringed kamanche played with a bow, and a folk drum with a double head called the naghara.

Background notesOverviewMina arrives on stage on a white horse.

Action

Mina, carrying her kite, interacts with the caravanserai traders and travellers. She stops to admire Azerbaijani carpets and musical instruments.

16 horses perform in unison, creating a pin-wheel and crossing paths.


Knowledge: Exploration

Flying through the air on her loyal kite, Mina has much to learn.

In the words of Nizami Ganjavi, one of the great poets of Azerbaijan and the world…

Seek knowledge, for through knowledgeyou’ll close and open every door.Whoever is not ashamed to learndraws pearls from the water,rubies from the rock.

During the Islamic Golden Age, people loved to travel and learn. Seafarers developed maps and course-plotting instruments, and became master navigators– important for both discovering more about the world around them and building strong trade routes.

3diameter in metres of the kite Mina sits on, flying through the air.

30sails, between 2.5 and 4m high, are carried or cycled onto the stage to recreate dhow boats.

4height in metres of the armillary sphere.

15diameter in metres of Al-Idrisi’s circular map, unfurled by 16 performers.

Facts & stats

Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209) was celebrated for his romantic epic poetry and wisdom literature.

Notable works include The Five Jewels (Khamsa): five long narrative poems, including Leyli and Majnun.

Background notesOverviewDhows, traditional sailing vessels with distinctive triangular sails, were originally used for simple tasks, such as fishing. As the Arabian and Islamic population expanded and began an intense system of trade with the rest of the known world, the use of dhows also grew and they were adapted for commerce.

Action

One of the most famous maps from the period was produced in 1154 by cartographer, Al-Idrisi – circular, it’s drawn with south at the top as was common for the time.

One of Islam’s greatest astronomical contributions was the perfection of the armillary sphere. It was used to tell time, predict sunrises and sunsets, survey land and calculate the height of buildings. It was the equivalent of a medieval calculator.


Knowledge: Architecture

Islamic civilisation revolutionised world architecture with the development of domes, minarets, caravanserai and madrasas – providing places of communal gathering, stately residence and humble homes.

Over time, the easy movement of artisans led to the exchange of artistic ideas and techniques. Creative impulses were channeled towards decoration and ornamentation in all forms of artistic expression – ordered repetition, radiating structures and rhythmic patterns, striking calligraphy, exuberant decoration and rich colours.

9height in metres of the large blue dome.

Facts & stats

Baku has recently continued, and contributed to, this legacy of Islamic heritage: the city added to its own fine array of architecture by building the stunning Heydar Mosque in 2014 – the largest mosque in the Caucasus.

Background notes

OverviewIslamic architecture is utterly distinct: a skyline of minarets and domes. We see a large blue dome on stage tonight, framed by our two minarets.

Smaller domes and arches feature exquisite fretwork – interlaced geometric designs common throughout Islamic architecture.

Action


Knowledge: Literature

Islamic civilisation – based on the sacred text of Islam, the Quran which means ‘the reading’ – greatly valued literature. A particular kind of literature became its hallmark: ‘Adab’, which came to imply the sum of intellectual knowledge that makes one courteous and urbane.

During the Golden Age, literature wasn’t just confined to the elite and educated; oral performances of stories of the Prophets and tales from One Thousand and One Nights found large audiences among ordinary people. The tales’ variety and geographical range of origin – including modern day Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey – make single authorship unlikely. More likely, the work was collected over many centuries by various authors, translators and scholars.

As Islam spread beyond Turkic, Arabic and Persian speaking regions, the literature of Islamic civilisation came to include works in languages as diverse as Swahili and Chinese.

Acrobatic horse riders trained at the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan perform for us tonight.

Cast3height in metres of the three large books on stage.

5great Golden Age poets of Azerbaijan are celebrated in tonight’s Ceremony: FizuliImadaddin NasimiKhaqaniMahsati GanjaviNizami Ganjavi

Facts & statsOverviewA large spiral of books represents the House of Wisdom, an intellectual powerhouse in Baghdad during the 9th to 13th centuries that played a major part in the spread and development of knowledge.

Al-Farabi, a renowned 9th-century polymath, stands on the book spiral. He spent most of his life in Baghdad and established logic within Islamic culture, which earned him the name ‘the Second Teacher’, Aristotle being ‘the First’.

Action

Large books on stage are tributes to great writers of Islamic civilisation.

Omar Khayyám (born 1048 in Nishapur, present day Iran) was a mathematician, astronomer and poet, renowned in his own country and time for his scientific achievements, and today for his influential poetry.

Mahsati Ganjavi (born 1089 in Ganja, Azerbaijan) is known for her philosophical and love quatrains (rubáiyát), glorifying the joy of living and the fullness of love.

Ali Baba runs from the 40 thieves and makes his thrilling escape on horseback. The folk tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is one of the most famous from One Thousand and One Nights.


Knowledge: Astronomy

During the Islamic Golden Age, scholars and scientists used observatories and instruments – such as astrolabes, quadrants and sextants – to study the heavens. They refined the prevailing knowledge of their times to use the sky as a tool for understanding time, space and humanity’s place in the cosmos.

Astronomers recorded and named more than 1,000 stars during the period. Today 166 stars are known worldwide by their Arabic names.

24 female dancers from the Azerbaijan State Ensemble perform in cloaks printed with star charts.

Cast8.5height in metres the sun rises above the stage.

Facts & statsOverviewA giant model of the solar system is created on stage with the sun, the earth and moon, and five more planets.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were visible to the unaided eye and therefore known to astronomers during the Golden Age, before the invention of the telescope. Uranus and Neptune were discovered in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Action

Large wheels show the phases of the moon.

Scientists and scholars of the Golden Age understood that lunar phases – the shape of the illuminated portion of the moon – change as the moon orbits the earth, and the moon’s rotation is tidally locked by earth’s gravity. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle.

Bicycles on stage celebrate the quadrant.

The quadrant was one of the most important astronomical and navigational instruments used by scientists and scholars in Islamic culture. It was used to determine the height of a celestial body above the horizon.


Knowledge: Invention

Working collaboratively, Golden Age men and women from different regions, cultures and backgrounds built upon the knowledge they drew from previous civilisations and, in turn, passed on their achievements for the benefit of future generations.

One of the greatest inventors and mechanical engineers of the time was Al-Jazari. His Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices (1206) describes 100 pieces of equipment.

Among the most intriguing is the Elephant Clock – a towering work of mechanical innovation. It features Greek water-raising know-how, an Indian elephant, an Egyptian phoenix, Arabian figures and Chinese dragons. Today we would regard it as a celebration of global diversity.

90total number of cogs featured on stage, including geared cogs on bicycles.

9height of the Elephant Clock in metres.

Facts & statsOverviewCogs feature here in honour of the mechanical inventions and turbine technologies of the Golden Age.

A variety of highly-accurate astronomical clocks for use in mosques and observatories were constructed during the period, including the first geared clock.

By the 11th century, mills operated throughout the Islamic world. The invention of water turbines meant many industrial tasks were mechanised.

The Elephant Clock appears, carrying two performers, and all the action freezes.

Mina, sitting on her flying kite, drops a ball representing the moon into the serpent’s mouth and the Elephant Clock activates. The serpent tips down to reset the mechanism, and Knowledge comes to an end…

Action


Dream

A sudden sandstorm sweeps everything from the stage.

Mina is left feeling lost and afraid for the first time on her journey. But she has the feather of the simurgh and in a flash of flame her fantastical friend appears, flying down to her aid. Mina is lifted high into the sky to safety – above the storm, above the clouds, up among the constellations.

When we help one another, we are free to dream, to become the best we can be. We can reach the stars.

24 female dancers from the Azerbaijan State Ensemble perform in cloaks during the sandstorm.

CastArif Melikov’s ‘The Legend of Love’.

MusicOverview

Duration 00:05:43

During the sandstorm, Mina burns the feather given to her by the simurgh.

Action

Gold-dust shimmers off the wings of the simurgh. In the end she disappears into the starry sky.

The simurgh comes to Mina’s aid. Together they fly over glorious landscapes.

In folklore, the simurgh acted as a guardian of heroes, who were given magical feathers to burn in moments of distress or desperate need, to call her.

Background notes

15the simurgh’s wingspan in metres.

750weight of the simurgh in kilograms.

785number of little lights, like stars, on the simurgh’s body.

Facts & stats


5different forms are taken by the kite on Mina’s journey: from a small handheld one, to a 7-metre-long engineered aerial piece. The puppet kite we see here is 2.5 metres in diameter.

The kites use carbon fibre technology, a lightweight material used by NASA that is stronger than steel by cubic centimetre.

Joy

Everything she has learned about her culture and faith, her heritage and self has Mina bursting with joy – all thanks to the beautiful kite, her constant companion on this adventure.

As the pair dance together in friendship, Mina thinks of her grandfather. She misses him. The time has come to head home.

Three puppeteers bring the kite (and its tail) to life.

CastUzeyir Hajibayli’s ‘Ashug-style’.

Music

Overview

Duration 00:02:21

Mina dances with the kite.

Action

Mina pulls a ribbon from the kite’s tail and performs a rhythmic gymnastics routine.

Gymnastics has steadily grown in popularity in Azerbaijan in recent years. The country regularly hosts European and World Gymnastics Championships at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku.

The six promising and highly-skilled rhythmic gymnasts who play Mina are already representing Azerbaijan at international competitions.

Background notes

Facts & stats


Hope

Flying through Baku with her kite, Mina sees her birthplace in a new light.

Beyond the pretty city parks where she plays, Mina finds many beautiful buildings, old and new. Proud historic palaces and towers at the city’s heart, as well as architectural masterpieces of the modern day – places of culture and commerce, thrilling sport and entertainment, cutting-edge enterprise and learning.

Her future is here. Home for Mina is a place of hope.

Baku buildings that appear on screen:

Azerbaijan Carpet MuseumNizami Museum of Azerbaijani LiteratureAzerbaijan National Academy of SciencesNizami StreetMaiden TowerPalace of the ShirvanshahsPalace of Marriage Registration (formerly the Palace of Happiness)Government House of Baku & Seven Beauties Musical FountainHeydar Aliyev CentreHeydar Aliyev International AirportBaku Aquatics CentreCaspian Waterfront MallBaku Crystal HallFlame TowersNational Flag SquareBaku Olympic Stadium

Overview

Duration 00:03:46

We begin at the Carpet Museum, on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

Action

Having seen more than a dozen architectural gems across the city, the action ends at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

A performer in a flowing white dress mirrors the swooping lines of the Heydar Aliyev Centre.

The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, completed in 2014, houses an extensive collection of world-renowned Azerbaijani carpets, proclaimed ‘Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage’ by UNESCO.

The Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku is an award-winning building for contemporary culture designed by Zaha Hadid and completed in 2012.

The ‘land of fire’ inspired the iconic Flame Towers– three distinctive buildings on a hillside above Baku’s Old City, completed in 2012.

The magnificent Baku Olympic Stadium, completed in 2015, can seat 68,700 spectators and is the perfect setting for major football and athletics championships, as well as large-scale concerts and events.

Background notes

Gara Garayev’s ‘Seven Beauties, Waltz’.

Music


Inspiration

On her thrilling journey, Mina has discovered her identity and beliefs, understood the fundamental unity of humankind, and gathered the gift of knowledge from her heritage. She has caught sight of her dreams, felt the joy of real friendship, and filled her heart with hope for the future.

Overflowing with the light of all she has learned, Mina wants to share the shining spirit of the kite with the world. And there is more than enough inspiration for everyone.

700 performers holding kites in the colours of Azerbaijan’s flag – blue, red and green.

20 fire perfomers.

10 performers spin on Catherine wheels, including four in the air.

Cast

Vasif Adigozalov’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 4’

Music

Overview

Duration 00:03:43

Mina flies above 700 performers holding kites. Hundreds of thousands of tiny hexagon kites flutter down over the audience.

Action

Catherine wheels on the ground and in the air ignite and spin, as fireworks light up the night sky above the Stadium.

180,000litres of water in the two pools on stage.

10height in metres the water jets on stage reach up into the air.

150kilos of confetti in the shape of tiny hexagon kites falls over the audience.

Facts & stats


Peace

And so we are back where our story began, to the quiet of Philharmonia Garden.

Mina is happily reunited with her proud grandfather. Grateful for her new-found knowledge, she sends her friendly guide on a new journey, to spread peace and harmony to the whole world. The kite flies free, high in the sky for all to see…

The Ceremony ends with incredible firework displays over both the Stadium and the Baku Caspian seafront.

We say goodbye to Mina and her grandfather to the sounds of Farhad Badalbeyli’s ‘The Sea’.

Fikret Amirov’s ‘Azerbaijan Capriccio’ plays as fireworks blaze over the Stadium.

And during the fireworks display over the Caspian we hear Ogtay Zulfugarov’s ‘Holiday Overture’.

MusicOverview

Duration 00:07:34

Together with her grandfather once again after her long journey, Mina sets her kite free to fly out of the Stadium.

Action

Fireworks over the Caspian Sea, along the Baku Boulevard.

Fireworks over the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Ten days of world-class sport is about to begin, with over 2,800 athletes of the Islamic World competing across 20 sports for more than 1,500 medals.

Join us on Monday 22 May for the Closing Ceremony of the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, when we will celebrate the great achievements of our athletes.

Background notes

5,000hours taken to create the spectacular pyrotechnics displays of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Facts & stats


Credits Principal performers

Seljan Hazizadeh Nazrin Jafarzadeh Maryam Safarova Farida Safiyarzadeh Narmina Samadova Eleonora YusifovaMinaSeljan, Nazrin, Maryam, Farida, Narmina and Eleonora are six promising and highly-skilled young athletes. As members of the national rhythmic gymnastics team, they’re already representing Azerbaijan at international competitions. After months of special training and rehearsals, this is their first appearance as actors and aerial performers. They’re excited to be part of the Ceremony, and hope to represent their country as proud competitors at the next Islamic Solidarity Games.

Nuraddin MehtikhanliGrandfatherTrained at the State University of Culture and Arts, Nuraddin is a renowned actor for stage and screen. A permanent troupe member at the State Academic Drama Theatre for almost 40 years, he has appeared in numerous theatre productions and feature films. He was made People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2002 for his contribution to the arts.

Alim QasimovMugham VocalistOne of the foremost musicians and singers in Azerbaijan, Alim is acclaimed as a great voiceof the world. His music is characterised by vocal improvisation and represents an evolution of the traditional mugham art form. He was made People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1993, and awarded the prestigious International Music Council UNESCO Music Prize in 1999.

Natig ShirinovPercussionistThe greatest nagara drum player to have emerged from the Caucasus, Natig has revolutionised nagara percussion technique to become Azerbaijan’s foremost rhythm composer. Today, he amazes audiences with his creative energies, award-winning performances and innovative compositions, all beating to the rhythms of his soul.


Baku 2017 executive

Azad RahimovChief Executive OfficerOver a 30-year career, Azad has held senior roles at the Khatai District Committee of the Youth Union (Komsomol), the Youth Organisations Committee of Azerbaijan, Ros-Imesko, and the Italdizain Group. Appointed Minister of Youth and Sport and Vice President of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee in 2006, he also served as CEO of the Baku 2015 European Games. Azad was awarded the Olympic Order in 2014, and the Order of Glory by the President of Azerbaijan in 2015.

Nigar EfendiChief of StaffNigar (Nikki) has 20 years of leadership experience at BP. She holds two degrees: in English Philology from the Azerbaijan University of Languages, and in Law from the Russian State Social University. She was Business Administration Director of the Baku 2015 European Games. Nikki was awarded the State Medal of Progress for her contribution to Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry, and the Honorary Diploma of the President of Azerbaijan for her work on Baku 2015.

Elchin SafarovCorporate DirectorElchin started his career as an accountant and has over 20 years’ experience in finance, including senior roles in the oil industry. He holds two degrees: in Pedagogy from the Baku Slavic University, and in Finance and Credit from the Azerbaijan State Economic University. Elchin was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the President of Azerbaijan for his work as the Baku 2015 European Games’ Corporate Director. He is proud father to two Baku 2017 volunteers.

Ceremonies team

Catherine UgwuDirector of Ceremonies& Executive ProducerCatherine is a producer, creative director and consultant with more than 20 years’ experience delivering some of the world’s largest and most prestigious events. Founder of Betty Productions Ltd, she was most recently Director of Ceremonies for the Baku 2015 European Games, and Executive Producer of the London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies. Other credits include the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Delhi 2010 and Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, and Doha 2006 Asian Games. Catherine was awarded an MBE for her work on London 2012, and the State Order of Friendship by the President of Azerbaijan for her contribution to Baku 2015.

Nathan M. WrightArtistic DirectorNathan is a choreographer and director who’s worked extensively on ceremonies, stage and screen. Career highlights include choreographies for the Sochi 2014 and London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies. On London’s West End he’s choreographed such shows as High Society and Rocky Horror, garnering numerous award nominations. Nathan’s film credits include Happy Feet as a motion capture artist and two collaborations with Baz Luhrmann – the Wicked-Faced Boy in Moulin Rouge! and associate choreographer for The Great Gatsby.

Kate HinchliffeProducer Kate has worked as a producer in the creative industry for over 10 years. Highlights include live events for Save the Children, NBCUniversal, Thomson Reuters, Samsung, Vodafone and the World Islamic Economic Forum. Kate first turned her attention to Ceremonies at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and went on to produce the Flame Capture Ceremony and city-centre Torch Relay of the Baku 2015 European Games.

Mark SmithHead of Business & FinanceMark qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte before devoting seven years of award-winning work to the planning, implementation and successful delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Handover Ceremony at Beijing 2008. He subsequently served as a trusted financial advisor at the BBC, and Head of Finance for the Ceremonies of both the Baku 2015 European Games and the UAE National Day 2015 (Abu Dhabi).

Baku 2017 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Journey from the Caspian events created and produced by Betty Productions Ltd. betty-productions.com


Ceremonies team

Adam BassettLighting DesignerTrained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Adam set up his own design practice in 2004, creating lighting for large-scale events, stage and architecture. In 2013, he joined long-time collaborator Patrick Woodroffe to found Woodroffe Bassett Design. Entertainment credits include the London 2012 Ceremonies, and concerts for the Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Adam has also designed numerous installations, from exhibitions to landmark building illuminations.

Tim ChappelCostume DesignerTim is an award-winning costume designer for screen and stage. His designs for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert earned him an Oscar. He went on to work on such films as Miss Congeniality and The Dressmaker, and music videos for Cher and Missy Elliot. Turning his attention to numerous musical theatre productions in Australia brought Tim more accolades, including a Tony and an Olivier.

Mike DixonMusic DirectorMike is one of the most experienced and respected musical forces in London’s West End and on British television and radio. His work spans all genres of music as conductor, arranger and composer. He regularly conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra, and has been the original musical director/supervisor for many internationally-acclaimed productions, including We Will Rock You, The Bodyguard, Grease and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Phil HayesAerial ChoreographerPhil is a veteran aerial director, choreographer, consultant and performer with 13 years’ specialised experience in harness work for large-scale spectacles. He’s staged flying choreographies for Ceremonies at the Sochi 2014, London 2012, Vancouver 2010 and Athens 2004 Olympics, Baku 2015 European Games, Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Games and Doha 2006 Asian Games, and many one-off events such as Qatar’s 2010 Nakilat Shipyard Inauguration and 77 Mta Celebration.

Richard LindsayVisual Content DirectorRichard – founder of Artists in Motion – is a renowned creative director for visionary experience media. Ceremonies credits include the Vancouver 2010 and Beijing 2008 Olympics, Baku 2015 European Games and Doha 2006 Asian Games. Richard has also created visual content for such live spectaculars as Sydney Opera House VIVID Live 2016, Hong Kong Pulse 3D Light Shows (2014-16), Clusters of Light Sharjah (2014) and DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon (2012).

Michael PeñaHead of ChoreographyMichael began his career as a professional dancer – touring with such artists as Paul McCartney and Rihanna – before establishing himself as a choreographer for stage and screen. His Ceremonies credits include the Sochi 2014 Olympics and Rose Parade 2015. In 2016, Michael choreographed the Grand Opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort, a new show for Hong Kong Disneyland, and the Italian production of American Idiot The Musical.

Joanna ScotcherProduction DesignerJoanna is an award-winning production designer based in London. Trained at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), her work goes beyond the theatre stage to encompass immersive performance and site-specific set design, inhabiting spaces intimate to epic. Joanna’s diverse output includes commissions by Kensington Palace, the RSC, Old Vic and Covent Garden, productions at the Young Vic, Royal Court and Roundhouse, and the Baku 2015 European Games Flame Capture Ceremony.

Scott WillsallenAudio DesignerScott – director of Auditoria Pty Ltd – is a leading expert in audio design for major international broadcast events. Design credits include Ceremonies for the Sochi 2014, London 2012, Vancouver 2010 and Athens 2004 Olympics, Baku 2015 European Games, Doha 2011 Pan Arab Games, Delhi 2010 and Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics and Doha 2006 Asian Games. Scott was awarded a Daytime Emmy for his work on Baku 2015.

66

Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation would like to thank the following companies and organisations for their support.

OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

Documents

Knowledge - 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games · My heartfelt gratitude goes to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the First Vice President of the Republic of