- Dear ladies and gentlemen,

- Dear friends,

First of all, I congratulate you sincerely on the occasion of Novruz holiday and would like to wish happiness and good health to all Azerbaijani people.

In this beautiful festive day we participate in the opening ceremony of the Mugham Festival in Azerbaijan. This is a very memorable event. We can even say that in these days, we celebrate the Mugham week in Azerbaijan. Two days before, the Mugham Scientific Symposium has started its work. Today is the opening of the Mugham Festival. At the same time, the International Mugham Contest will be also held in Azerbaijan. I greet wholeheartedly many guests from various countries and I am confident that they will be able to demonstrate their talent and skills both in the scientific symposium, the contest and the festival itself.

This event is very important for us. The Mugham is the national richness of Azerbaijan. Throughout the centuries, Azerbaijani people has always cherished this splendid piece of art in its daily life and revived it in its soul. Transmitted from one generation to another, the art of Mugham is still living in Azerbaijan. It is being protected and developed in our country. Our prominent Mugham masters transmit their skills and knowledge to younger generation. The Mugham Contests traditionally held in Azerbaijan play a very significant role in this field. It is impossible to imagine Azerbaijan without the Mugham and the Mugham without Azerbaijan. It is not by accident that the first International Mugham Festival is being organized in this outstanding Mugham Center of Azerbaijan. This is the first international event held in the Mugham Center. On the one hand, this beautiful building meets the contemporary standards; on the other hand, it is constructed at the basis of national style. I am sure that in the long run, this Mugham center will bring joy to all Mugham amateurs and will become a kind of Mugham House by making such good events to become as traditional ones in Azerbaijan.

At the same time, this festival and the Mugham week held in Azerbaijan show us that the Mugham unites peoples. Over 150 guests from 17 countries will participate actively in these events. The Mugham brings love, friendship and brotherhood. I do hope that this important new tradition established in these days will live forever and the Mugham Festivals in Azerbaijan will become traditional.

You know well the history of this beautiful building. While taking the decision on the creation of the Mugham Center, we had to choose the very beautiful place of the city. The seaside boulevard is one of the best places of Baku city. For this reason, we had to construct the Mugham Center indeed in this beautiful place.

Today, we are pleased to see the participation of Mr. Matsuura, the Director General of UNESCO in this event. I would like to note that it is indeed with the participation of Mr.Matsuura we have laid the foundations of this magnificent building in 2005. I do remember very well that day. On that beautiful day, our famous people of arts have been participating in the ceremony. We have laid the first stone together and participate now in this important event. After all, in 2008, Mr.Matsuura has visited the construction site while visiting Baku, and again together, we have laid the foundation of a new modern Museum of Carpet. Its construction has started already. I hope that this modern Carpet Museum will be completed and commissioned in nearest future by adding more beauty to Azerbaijan in comparison with any developed city of the world.

Today, we are together all day long. Mr.Matsuura is the dear guest and the great friend of Azerbaijan. He has played a very important role in developing the relations between UNESCO and Azerbaijan. Today, we have participated together in Novruz celebrations. I would also like to note that today, a very memorable and historical event has taken place in the cultural life of Azerbaijan. A new and very magnificent Museum of Contemporary Arts has been inaugurated in Azerbaijan. Paintings of our famous artists are displayed in that Museum. Those are the works that have been previously stored somewhere in warehouses or other places with inferior conditions. Nowadays, these paintings got a new life. The Museum of Contemporary Arts is differing also by its special design. I am confident that the Museum created in accordance with the modern style and design and entailing also a great national significant will attract the attention of Baku residents.

The Mugham Center keeps the same line of modernity and innovations. At the same time, it maintains its links to our national values and roots. Truly to say, this idea which reflects the current Azerbaijan is very clear and known to everyone. We build our modern, strong, secular and mighty Azerbaijan at the basis of our historical legacy, rich cultural diversity and attained great achievements in this pathway. Azerbaijan is being developed. Azerbaijan becomes more prosperous. Besides economic and political reforms, we pay particular attention to the cultural issues. In these days of crisis, allocation of public funds to the field of culture and keeping it as a priority for the State demonstrate our resolve and reflect a broad meaning. First of all, this demonstrates our attitude towards our cultural legacy, rich culture, history and national traditions. The Azerbaijan people has been always the people linked constantly to its national roots, and our future success is linked to these factors. We share all universal values, but the most important and significant for us are our national values - the values of Azerbaijan. In order to preserve, develop these values and transmit it to future generations, we have to strengthen our overall potential. The strong economy, social policy and our commitment to our rich historical legacy as well as our aspirations to reach the highest standards of the contemporary world, to my understanding, are coinciding with views of every single Azerbaijani citizen. I am sure that the development of Azerbaijan will be continued successfully.

Dear friends,

Dear guests,

I would like to congratulate you all on the occasion of these beautiful holidays and wish you good health and happiness.

Thank you.

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