Azerbaijani Language Day: Azerbaijan marks August 1 as the Day of Azerbaijani Alphabet and Language, a tradition tied to Heydar Aliyev’s 2001 decree and the 1990 creation of the Alphabet Commission, with renewed focus on Latin-script publishing and language in education and public life. Literature Loss: People’s Poet Nariman Hasanzada, 95, died; tributes highlight his decades-long work as poet, playwright, editor, and cultural figure, with major state honors. Culture & Heritage: Azerbaijan’s State Service for Cultural Heritage reports 4,377 monuments under its care, hundreds of thousands of museum visitors in the first half of 2026, and ongoing digitization for the Unified Cultural Heritage Register. Mugham Spotlight: A Mugham Evening at the 15th Gabala International Music Festival featured leading performers and competition laureates. Regional Cultural Links: Sister-city ties are set between Osh and Azerbaijan’s Ganja, with a memorandum signed in Cholpon-Ata to boost city management and cultural exchange. Central Asia Alliance: Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan signed a Treaty on Allied Relations during Ilham Aliyev’s state visit, framing cooperation as alliance-level coordination across security, transport, education, and more. Arts & Education: Culture Minister Adil Karimli visited composer Tofig Bakikhanov’s home, praising his role in Azerbaijani classical music and education. Press Freedom: PNFA activist Elmar Piriev was arrested for 10 days, with associates calling it politically motivated and linked to social media activity. Human Rights Trial: At the trial of Bashir Suleymanly, a witness said NGO project funding was handled via service contracts and audited, rejecting claims of misused funds.