Mehriban Aliyeva and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova visited the International Mugham Center

Azerbaijan`s First Lady, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP Mehriban Aliyeva and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova visited the International Mugham Center, July 29.

Mrs Aliyeva and Mrs Bokova were presented flowers.

The UNESCO Director-General was told the Center was built on the initiative of President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva with an aim to preserve and popularize Azerbaijan`s national and moral values. The Center`s foundation stone was laid in August 2005, and the ceremony was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and former UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura. The total area of the three-storied Center is 7.5 square meters. The building has the shape of tar, the ancient music instrument of Azerbaijan. Mugham was incorporated into the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The guest saw busts of outstanding mugham singers of Azerbaijan, was informed of the national music instruments.

The Azerbaijani First Lady and the UNESCO Director-General listened to Azeri mugham, tesnif and folk songs performed by young mugham singers.

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Then, Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva and Mrs Irina Bokova arrived at the building site of the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet and Folk Applied Art within the National Park, saw the Museum’s model and project of the building.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev informed about construction.

Constructed upon the project by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and UNESCO, the building will be distinguished in the national architectural traditions first.

The architectural structure of the building bases on a ‘wrapped carpet’, which is assured with special equipment. Large greening works will be done around the building.

The first floor will include a lab to identify the age of ancient carpets and other home things, carpet restoration rooms, while the second floor is designed for ceremonies and audiovisual presentations, carpet-weaving room. Open and closed exhibition halls will be located on the third floor. The building will also have special places for exhibits, a central storehouse. The Museum will employ 200 people.

The guest was familiarized with the model of the State Museum of Azerbaijani Music Culture to be built in ‘Venetian Town’. The upper look of the model reflects notes of the national anthem of Azerbaijan. The working project is to be completed by the end of the year and construction works are scheduled to start next year. After construction of the Museum is over, this part of the National Park will be changed into a ‘culture triangular’ along with International Mugham Center and the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet and Folk Applied Art.