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On February 23, 2026, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an Order on the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the People’s Poet Samad Vurgun.

On March 21, 2026, the National Library presented to users a virtual exhibition titled “People’s Poet of Our Nation Samad Vurgun – 120” and an electronic information database titled “Azerbaijan’s People’s Poet Samad Vurgun,” dedicated to the 120th anniversary of one of the prominent figures of 20th-century Azerbaijani literature, well-known playwright, public figure, and People’s Poet Samad Vurgun.

The virtual exhibition includes official documents, poems, epics, dramatic works, translations, memoirs, essays, as well as research works, monographs, and literature in Azerbaijani and foreign languages about his rich legacy. It also presents materials on his poetry for children, the language and style of his literary works, dramaturgy, photographs, and press materials. The exhibition is available at: https://anl.az/el/vsb/Xalq_sairi_Semed_Vurgun/index.htm

The electronic database provides a more extensive and systematized collection of full-text resources about his heritage in sections such as “Official Documents,” “Life and Creativity,” “Key Dates of Life and Activity,” “Famous Figures about Samad Vurgun,” “Wise Sayings and Aphorisms,” “Works,” “Songs Based on His Poems,” “About Him,” “Awards,” “Commemoration,” “Photo Gallery,” and “Video Gallery,” available online at: https://anl.az/el/emb/S.Vurgun/index.html

Samad Vurgun (Samad Yusif oghlu Vekilov) was born on March 21, 1906, in the village of Yukhari Salahli in the Gazakh region. He received his early education in a village school and later studied at the Gazakh Teachers’ Seminary. After graduation, he worked as a teacher and continued his education at Moscow State University (Faculty of Oriental Studies) in 1929–1930.

He served as Chairman of the Union of Writers of Azerbaijan (1941–1948), became a full member of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences in 1945, Vice-President of the Academy (1954–1956), and was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1940–1950). In 1956, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philological Sciences.

His literary legacy includes plays such as “Vagif,” “Khanlar,” “Farhad and Shirin,” “Man,” “Two Loves,” and “The Poet’s Life,” as well as poems like “Komsomol Poem,” “Dreams of the Negro,” “Mugan,” “Aygun,” and “Standard-bearer of Time.” He is also the author of about 100 poems, including the famous “Azerbaijan” (1934).

He was also an accomplished translator, rendering works such as Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin,” Rustaveli’s “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin,” Gorky’s “Girl and Death,” and Nizami’s “Layla and Majnun” into Azerbaijani.

His works have been translated into many languages, including Russian, Georgian, Tajik, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Chinese, English, German, Polish, and Bulgarian.

Samad Vurgun was twice a State Prize laureate (1941–1942), received the honorary title “Honored Art Worker” in 1943, and was awarded various high orders and medals. In March 1956, the honorary title “People’s Poet of Azerbaijan” was established, and he became the first poet to receive it.