New project launched to promote country's musical and architectural heritage

The Land of Fire boasts centuries-old sites and monuments that reflect the country's diverse past.

The country is home to numerous architectural gems, including Shusha Palace, Maiden Tower, Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Small Mardakan Fortress, Alinja Tower, Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve, and many others.

The Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan Television (AzTV) have launched a joint project titled "Our Sounding Heritage" to promote the country's musical and architectural heritage, Azernews reports.

Within the project, music performances in Mugham, classical, rock, pop, and other genres, as well as individual dance numbers, will be organised and filmed in front of various historical monuments. Those video materials will be published in the media and on social networks.

The first shooting of the project took place in the Small Mardakan Fortress with the participation of the Garabagh Mugham Trio.

The Small Mardakan Fortress is one of the defensive buildings located on the coast of the Caspian Sea. It is known that the monument, which embodies the characteristics of Absheron fortress architecture, was built in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The historic building erected in a strategically favourable place could deliver information about the enemy's threat to the necessary addresses in a short time.

People's Artist Mansum Ibrahimov performed mughams in front of the ancient monument, which is a relic of the 13th and 14th centuries.

He was accompanied by People's Artist Elchin Hashimov on tar and Honoured Artist Elnur Ahmadov on kamancha.

The recording of that performance will be broadcast on AzTV-International Day for Monuments and Sites (April 15).

International Day for Monuments and Sites was approved by the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983.

The day encourages local communities and individuals throughout the world to consider the significance of cultural heritage to their lives, identities and communities, and to promote awareness of its diversity and vulnerability and the efforts required to protect and conserve it.

The theme for 2014 is the Heritage of Commemoration, which provides an opportunity to present those constructions that have been intentionally created with the purpose of commemorating an event, a person, an idea, etc. This choice of theme is partly inspired by the centennial in 2014 of the beginning of the Great War of 1914–1918.