Helsinki exhibition explores Nobel brothers' Azerbaijani heritage

The Helsinki Azerbaijan House organized an exhibition and academic discussion in Helsinki to explore the historical and cultural ties between Finland and Azerbaijan.

The event, supported by the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, showcased the lives of Nordic expatriates in the South Caucasus between the 1870s and 1920s. Dmitri Frolov, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, presented the academic content of the exhibition.

He focused on the Industrial Revolution and the growth of the Baku oil industry. The presentation highlighted the activities of Branobel, the company owned by the Nobel brothers, and their focus on social welfare and worker living conditions. The exhibition displayed archival materials and photographs from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Finland, Sweden, and Germany to document the daily lives of Nordic expatriates in Baku and Tbilisi.

Emin Dadashov from the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan shared details about the museum's photographic collection. He explained how the museum uses photographs to complement written records to uncover new historical findings. The exhibition also featured the cultural legacy of the Nobel family, including their contributions to art and the famous Fabergé eggs. Kirsti Narinen, the Finnish Roving Ambassador for the South Caucasus, stated that the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs will continue to support such historical research.

Professor Markku Kangaspuro of the University of Helsinki noted that the project aims to introduce this little-known history to a wider Finnish audience.