Azerbaijan launches regular National Mugham Contest at Heydar Aliyev Foundation's initiative

TMRena Murshud he regular National Mugham Contest has started at Azerbaijan's National Conservatory at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

According to Azernews, the first round of the contest, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Education, as well as the Azerbaijan National Conservatory, is being held on April 24-25.

Further, the second tour will be held on April 26, and the final concert – on April 30.

The National Mugham Contest is being held in the categories of mugham and instrumental performances.

By Lamiya Ismail

useum of Miniature Books attracts glances and does not let go for a long time.

This incredible place is the only museum of miniature books in the world, settled in the ancient part of Baku.

Established in 2002, the museum owns one of the world's great collections of miniature books.

It is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the museum with the largest number of miniature books.

One of the world's first miniature books museums is home to over 6,000 mini books.

The museum collection includes works like "Flower Alphabet", "Pictures of English History", Pushkin's "Yevgeni Onegin" and the 24-volume "One Thousand

The jury of the National Mugham Competition as a whole consists of 9 people, including the chairman.

The national mugham competition is held in the nominations "khanende" and "instrumental performance". In both nominations, the chairman of the jury is Siyavush Kerimi. The jury in the nomination "instrumental performance" includes people's artists Fakhreddin Dadashev and Mokhlat Muslimov, as well as honored artists Shirzad Fataliyev and Chinara Heydarova, in the nomination "khanende" - people's artists Sakina Ismailova, Mansum Ibrahimov and Zabit Nabizade, as well as honored artist Gazanfar Abbasov.

On April 26, the winners in both of the categories will be selected.The chairman of the jury said that the winners who took and One Nights".

All the books are categorized under titles including Azerbaijan, rare books, religious books, Russian history, Russian classics, Western classics, cinema, Central Asia, America, Europe and China.

For almost 21 years, the museum has included miniature books of Azerbaijani writers including the works of Khurshidbanu Natavan, Nizami Ganjavi, rare books on Europe, Central Asia and other works.

The oldest book in the museum is a miniature copy of the Holy Quran, dating to the 17th century.

The smallest tome in the museum is the Russian book "The Most Miraculous Thing," (6mm x 9mm) which can only be read by using a magnifying glass.

The literary works by Shakespeare, Bobby Burns, Conan Doyle, Jack London, Edgar Allan first, second and third places in the nominations “khanende” and “instrumental performance” will receive a prize of 7,000($4,120), 5,000($2,940) and 3,000($1,760) manats, respectively.

"In addition, the winners of the National Mugham Competition the winners of the first places in both nominations will represent our country at the VI International Mugham Festival "The World of Mugham,"- he added.

The winners of the National Mugham Contest will represent Azerbaijan at the 6th Mugham World International Festival.

In recent years, fundamental work has been done in Azerbaijan to preserve and develop mugham. The support of national culture and mugham provided by the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and the work carried out in this direction resulted in the inclusion of the Azerbaijani mugham in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

Since 2009, on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the National Mugham Contest and the International Mugham Festival have been held. These projects are designed to demonstrate Azerbaijan’s national heritage mugham in the context of world culture and preserve it for future generations.

Poe, Hemingway, O'Henry as well as a miniature book which consists of the songs of ''Beatles'' draw special attention of book lovers.

The Ganja Branch of the Museum of Miniature Books has operated since 2016. Its collection includes around 1,045 copies of miniature books published in various countries.

The exposition also contains books in Russian, Turkish, English, German, Arabic, Georgian and other languages.

There is also a Nakhchivan branch of the Miniature Book Museum, which has been operating since December 18, 2014.

Nakhchivan Miniature Book Museum displays 1,090 miniature books printed in 31 countries.

The museum is open to visitors for free. The museum staff gives visitors detailed information about each book.