Ashiq Festival kicks off in Azerbaijan

/Az

By Amina Nazarli

The grandiose opening of the second International Ashiq Festival was held in Baku on November 12.

Co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Culture and Tourism Ministry and Ashiqs Association, the festival opened at the Azerbaijan State Musical Theatre.

Some outstanding performers from Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Russia, as well as all regions of Azerbaijan, are participating in this splendid festival.

Addressing the event, Vagif Aliyev, deputy Culture and Tourism Minister briefed the participants about the significance of the festival.

Saying that Ashiq art is one of the branches of Azerbaijani folk art, Aliyev underlined that the government always pays special attention to this field. He noted that Azerbaijani Ashiq performers are always awarded with honorable titles and they are provided with all opportunities for giving concerts.

He also said that the art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs was included in the UNESCO`s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, as a symbol of national cultural identity that embodies various artistic spheres practiced by poets, composers, singers or actor-narrators, thus uniting in one artistic expression the communities of the entire country.

From November 13 to 17, Azerbaijani regions including Yevlakh, Gadabay, Shamkir, Qazakh, Tovuz and Ujar will host the grandiose event.

“The festival offers great opportunities to promote and publicize our national Ashiq art on the international level, enhance the role of Ashiq art and promote Azerbaijani Ashiq singers across the world,” said Zalimkhan Yagub, chairman of the Azerbaijani Ashiqs Union.

The chairman noted that the inclusion of this immortal art in the list of cultural treasures not only opens up new horizons for Azerbaijanis, but also increases people’s responsibility. “The festival covers the entire Turkic world,” he added.

The first International Ashiq Festival was held in Azerbaijan in 2010 attracting lots of attentions.