Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Attends the Maqom Art International Forum in Uzbekistan
The 2nd Maqom (Mugham) Art International Forum is taking place from June 27-30 in the Zaamin city of Jizzakh province, Uzbekistan. The opening ceremony of the 2nd Maqom Art International Forum will take place on June 27. Among the attendees will be Simona-Mirela Miculescu, Chairperson of the 42nd session of UNESCO; Salim Al-Malik, Director General of ICESCO; Sultan Raev, Secretary General of TURKSOY; A. Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation; Mehmet Süreyya Er, Chairman of TürkPA; Adil Karimli, Minister of Culture; Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye; Moon Hyung Suk, Secretary-General of the Asia Region of the International Folklore Organization; and other officials and representatives of the diplomatic corps of foreign countries accredited in Uzbekistan.
At the opening ceremony, the President of Uzbekistan, Shevkat Mirziyoyev, spoke about the history and importance of maqom art. The ceremony was followed by the speeches of the President of the 42nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference Simona Miculescu, and the Director General of ICESCO, Salim Muhammad al-Malik. Following the speeches, an extensive concert program took place. Various groups presented captivating music and dance performances and compositions. All performances were received with applause. We would like to inform you that the "Zaminsay" complex, where the forum was held with around 400 guests from over 80 countries, was decorated for the event.
A large area has been dedicated to exhibitions that display the rich culture of the Uzbek people and their magnificent applied art. As part of the forum, an international scientific-practical conference titled "Development Perspectives of Maqom Art: Theoretical and Practical Foundations" will take place on June 28-29. Our country is represented in the competition by young singers Nisbat Sadrayeva and Safali Mirzaliyev. They will be accompanied by musicians Ruslan Zarbaliyev on tar, Parviz Farhadov on kamancha, and Siyavush Farhadov on drums. An international jury, with experts from Azerbaijan, the USA, Egypt, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and India, will judge the performers in categories such as "Best Maqom Ensemble", "Best Instrumental Solo", and "Best Vocal Solo". The organizing committee of the forum will award cash prizes, diplomas, and figurines to the winners. The closing ceremony of the Forum and the award ceremony for the winners will take place on June 30.
The first Maqom Art International Forum took place in Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan, from September 6-10, 2018, and the Mugham instrumental group representing our country secured the first place.