The IC was decorated with richly woven rugs, the kitchen was busy with girls preparing caviar starters (it could only happen at the IC!), huge posters adorned the walls of the Blue Room and red, green and blue flags fluttered in the hustle and bustle which preceded our Azerbaijani Evening. With Kanan being the only national representative in the House, the pressure was on to organise an exciting event, but exciting it certainly turned out to be and this was largely due to Kanan’s mother flying over from Azerbaijan specially with a troupe of dancing girls and friends, a large amount of food and a magnificent array of artefacts and gifts from her country.

As the Blue Room filled with our many guests from the Sixth Form and staff, the IC students handed round the tasty starters of caviar and smoked salmon and the atmosphere was buzzing. We ate a main course provided by the school kitchen, attempting to show a range of Azeri dishes, and finished with an incredible display of dried fruits, nuts and pastries provided by Mrs Seyidova – so attractive and all absolutely delicious!

Then came the entertainment.  Kanan’s authentic tones blended with Mr C’s silken tongue as an animated slide show accompanied by their commentary revealed the country of Azerbaijan to us all, educating us into the geography, history and culture of that little known land on the Caspian Sea, its capital Baku as modern and flamboyant city as you could ever imagine and its countryside wild and beautiful. This was interspersed with an amusing sketch by our students based on the Azeri marketplace and, most spectacularly, several dances by the visiting troupe, stunningly dressed in traditional costume and amazing us all with their skill and grace to a background of authentic music.

Following the presentation, student guests enjoyed their own disco and visiting staff departed with beautiful traditional gifts, again provided by Mrs Seyidova.

This truly was an evening to remember – it would not have been possible without the generosity and energetic involvement of Kanan and his family and we are extremely grateful for both everything they did to make the evening such a huge success and their wonderful gifts to both the IC and the school.  Long live Azerbaijan!