Baku, March 11, AZERTAC  The opening ceremony of the World of Mugham 4th International Mugham Festival has been held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.The Address by Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijan’s First Lady and the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, to the participants of the event was presented by Mr. Anar Alakbarov, the Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The ceremony was attended by a number of state and government officials, public figures and people of art.The address stressed the value of cultural heritage as one of the most important assets for any nation. Throughout ages, the Azerbaijanis succeeded in preserving the country’s unique culture, language, literature, poetry and music. Cherishing and promoting this fascinating legacy today is a moral obligation of each and every single of us. Inscription of the Azerbaijani art of mugham, as well as the ashuq art, the carpet weaving tradition and the tar performance on the UNESCO Representative List of the World Cultural Heritage is a clear indication of the value attributed to these national assets of Azerbaijan world over.Azerbaijan is actively involved in the preservation and promotion of this precious piece of the national and world heritage through a series of international projects. What is clearly understood is that the art of mugham is nowadays not only the valued asset of Azerbaijan only, but an integral part of the world’s cultural heritage. The mugham space is limitless and knows no boundaries. Today there is a permanent venue to enliven this asset, the World of Mugham International Festival traditionally held in Baku. For the fourth time, this year the ancient art of mugham is bringing together artists, musicians and scholars from various countries to the city of Baku. Sweet memories of this event are to be cherished by the connoisseurs in the years to come.“I believe that the World of Mugham 4th International Mugham Festival and its agenda including the international symposium, the young performers’ contest, as well as performances by artists from other places with strong mugham traditions arriving in Baku will further enrich the traditions of this art. Rest assured, the musical program of the festival is very versatile, and this year’s event will turn into a truly memorable milestone in Azerbaijan’s musical history,” the Address concludes.The first day of the Festival started with the concert by the Uzeyir Hajjibeyli State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Fakhraddin Karimov, and the State Choir.This joint event by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Composers Union will last till March 18.