Art of national ashigs discussed at ICTM World Conference

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The 45th International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) World Conference has completed its work at the Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Azerbaijan was represented by ICTM member, leading researcher at the Institute of Architecture and Art, musicologist orientalist, Honored Art Worker Suraya Aghayeva, Trend Life reported.

The Azerbaijani scientist was invited to this conference as the chairman of the scientific section on the consideration of the problems of preserving intangible cultural heritage. The meeting of this section began on the first day of the conference, immediately after the grand opening, which was attended by the Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

In her speech, Suraya Aghayeva stressed that the ancient culture of Azerbaijan is rich in spiritual and architectural values ??that are part of the world cultural treasury. For example, traditional music of Azerbaijan mugham, ashig art, string musical instruments tar and kamancha were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as masterpieces in the field of music.

She noted that at the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, the historic center of Shaki and the Khan Palace were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The fortress city of Baku (Icherisheher) with the Palace of Shirvanshahs and the Maiden's Tower as well as Gobustan cultural landscape with cave paintings were added to this list.

The Azerbaijani scholar also moderated the sections devoted to analyzing the problems of preserving the Uyghur social-communal tradition Meshrep in China and Kazakhstan, as well as preserving the original musical and instrumental ceremonial-dance tradition of the Timbila people of the Chopi ethnic group in Mozambique.

Suraya Aghayeva met with Secretary of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage section Tim Curtis, who noted the significance of the inclusion of the historic center of Shaki and the Khan Palace in the UNESCO List.

The scientist also took part in the meeting of the assembly of national and ICTM regional representatives, the meetings of the scientific group studying the musical culture of the Turkic peoples, met with the chairmen of the scientific groups of ICTM.

The Chairperson of the Thailand Committee of the Conference, Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University, professor Bussakorn Binson accepted “Encyclopedia of Azerbaijani Mugham”, a gift by Suraya Aghayeva, and expressed her wish for the earliest translation of this unique work into English.

The Azerbaijani scholar also made comments about the speeches of some speakers.

Among the many interesting reports, the scientist highlighted the presentation of Anna Oldfield from the Coastal Carolina University (the U.S.), who spoke about the art of ashigs during the Soviet period and the report of B. Nikaen from Tehran University about Azerbaijani ashigs in Iran.

Thanks to the presentations of these scientists and Suraya Aghayeva, this prestigious conference has once again spread important information about the musical culture of Azerbaijan.