News

August 26 is celebrated as the International Day of Azerbaijani Mugham and Music of the Silk Road Countries.
This decision was made in 2010 by the City Hall of Niagara, Canada, and the leadership of the annually held International Niagara Music Festival.

The adoption of this date confirms that mugham, the national treasure of the Azerbaijani people, has evolved into a musical genre of universal value. It holds special significance for mugham enthusiasts, as well as for those who have devoted their lives to preserving and promoting this ancient art form.

As one of the oldest musical genres of the Ancient East, mugham has drawn the attention of researchers for centuries and continues to be regarded as an important subject in the study of global musical heritage. Despite experiencing various ups and downs throughout history, mugham—an integral part of Azerbaijan’s cultural legacy—has been passed down from generation to generation and carefully preserved.

In the period of independence, mugham performance entered a new stage of development and now plays a crucial role in promoting Azerbaijani culture on the international stage.

To mark this significant day, the National Library of Azerbaijan has launched a virtual exhibition and a traditional book exhibition titled “26 August – International Day of Azerbaijani Mugham” for its users.

The virtual exhibition features reflections by prominent Azerbaijani figures on mugham, photographs, articles from the periodical press, and full-text books.
Those wishing to explore the virtual exhibition can access it via the following link:
 https://anl.az/el/vsb/Beynelxalq_Azerbaycan_mugami_ve_musiqisi_gunu/index.htm

The traditional book exhibition showcases literature in Azerbaijani and foreign languages covering the historical roots of Azerbaijani mugham dastgahs, their classification and stages of development, instrumental mughams and performance traditions, the nation's rich musical heritage, the Karabakh school of mugham, and prominent khanandas (mugham singers) and their contributions to the development of Azerbaijani musical culture.

The primary aim of these exhibitions is to promote the rich heritage of Azerbaijani mugham art, help the younger generation gain deeper insight into this ancient genre, and contribute to the global recognition of our national music.