Starting September 24, 2025, Azerbaijani media reported the completion of the "Support for the Preservation and Dissemination of Applied Art Samples" public association's project titled "Craftsmanship of 'Western Azerbaijan'," held at the Museum of Turkish History and Cultures in Nuremberg, Germany. The stated aim was to present to Europeans "Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage." (https://azertag.az/xeber/almaniyada__quotqerbi_azerbaycan_senetkarligi_quot_layihesi_basa_chatib-3761319)

One of the main organizers of this series of events in Germany—the museum's founder, Cemaleddin Özdemir—remarked in his speech that such projects can make a significant contribution to the further deepening and development of cultural relations between Germany and Azerbaijan (https://visiontv.az/article/qerbi-azerbaycan-senetkarligi-almaniyada-tanidildi). For five days in Nuremberg, various events were held at the "Obyektiv" Culture Center, the Turkish Theater, and the "Medina" Association. These platforms hosted exhibitions, discussions, and art evenings; within the framework of the Turkish Theater events, an Azerbaijani–Turkish musical evening was also organized (https://www.bayraqdar.info/2025/09/24/q%C9%99rbi-az%C9%99rbaycan-s%C9%99n%C9%99tkarligi-almaniyada-tanidildi/).

Such events reflect Azerbaijan's efforts on international platforms to rewrite the region's historical memory, linking it exclusively to an Azerbaijani or Turkic identity.

The project's title itself is politically framed. In official Baku's discourse, the expression "Western Azerbaijan" is used to refer to the territory of Armenia, portraying it as supposedly "historical Azerbaijani land." Consequently, this project is not limited to the promotion of art; it embeds an ideological element of territorial claims, through which Azerbaijan's authorities seek to shape a new cultural narrative. Holding the project in Germany—before a European audience—aims to consolidate this narrative at the level of foreign policy.

Here, culture is harnessed as a form of soft power. Through projects implemented on international platforms, Azerbaijan attempts to persuade the international community that its presentation of the historical picture is natural and lawful.

It is notable that in similar initiatives, the Azerbaijani side invites an individual presented as a descendant of the last khan of Yerevan. According to the Azerbaijani side, Amir Ali Sardar Iravani is a symbolic figure, intended as a reminder of Azerbaijan's "historical territories" and the continuity of its cultural heritage. His participation draws additional attention to the idea that applied art is not only an artistic expression but also a means of preserving national memory and identity (https://medeniyyet.info.az/page/news/79692/Nurnberq-muzeyinde-Qerbi-Azerbaycan-senetkarligi-sergisi.html).

The project was funded by the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of Azerbaijan. This initiative can be viewed as a tool of Azerbaijan's cultural diplomacy, utilizing culture as a form of soft power.

In summary, the "Craftsmanship of 'Western Azerbaijan'" project, held in Nuremberg, is not merely a cultural initiative but a continuation of Azerbaijan's cultural policy aimed at rewriting historical memory and negating Armenian cultural heritage.