Black January / 20 yanvar

An evening remembering the events of 20 January 1990 (part of the BUTA Festival of Azerbaijani Arts)

On 20 January 1990, as Communist régimes fell across Europe, supporters of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan gathered in Baku to call for independence from the USSR and freedom for Azerbaijan. The response was ruthless, and the official death toll topped 200 over three days of violence. As the dead were buried, the mourning grew into a general strike.

These momentous events of 20 years ago have been chronicled by the leading Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky in his documentaries on the emergence of modern-day Azerbaijan.

Konchalovsky will present his film Black January, and join a discussion panel moderated by Stephen Lovel, Head of War Studies, King’s College.

The programme will also include Azerbaijani classical music performed by Ayyan Salakhova (piano), Nazrin Rashidova (violin) and Nezrin Effendiyeva (piano).

A tribute to the victims of Black January will be read by the acclaimed poet Nigar Hasan-Zadeh.

Please RSVP if you wish to attend this important event.