Ilham Aliyev presents "Sharaf" Order to Alibaba Mammadov

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughter Leyla Aliyeva have met with prominent representative of the national mugham art, People's Artist Alibaba Mammadov at the Heydar Aliyev Center and viewed several exhibitions organized here.

Greeting the People's Artist Alibaba Mammadov, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Dear Alibaba muallim, first of all I would like to sincerely wish you a happy 90th birthday. I wish you good health and a long life. A week ago, I signed an executive order to award you with a high order of the Azerbaijan state - the Order of "Sharaf". Today I will present this high award to you.

You have been delighting our people with your performing art for many years. Both as a remarkable performer, khanende, and as a wonderful composer, you have made a great contribution to the treasury of Azerbaijani musical culture. You have composed more than 100 songs. The folk songs and mughams you have performed give people special pleasure. The people wholeheartedly love you - you are a great master and a wonderful person. You epitomize Azerbaijani intelligentsia. You possess high human qualities. You are a very kind and fair person who is always ready to share his knowledge and skill with the younger generation. Your exceptional contributions to this field have been highly appreciated because many of our outstanding mugham performers are graduates of your school, if I may say so.

Mugham is our national asset. You have played a special role in preserving this national asset. In particular, I should note that, thanks to television, the regular mugham contests cover millions of viewers. Watching these contests, our people, even people who are far from music, study the true essence and subtleties of mugham. The performances by young performers and especially the analysis by the jury are of particular interest. The true essence and the subtleties of mugham are explained in the comments of the jury. You treat young performers with great generosity. Sometimes I see that you cheer them up so that they keep up their spirits. At the same time, you point out their mistakes and show the right path. I believe that this is the very merits of a master. You are one of the people who do not lock into their art but enjoy sharing it. You want the mugham to live on, so that young people can join this art.

I must also say that television contests have been held for many years at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. I believe that this is of particular importance not only for promoting our musical culture, but also our spiritual values in general. I am very glad that the vast majority of our youth is attached to national music. This does not happen in every country. There are countries where national music remains on the sidelines. Some trendy examples of international music prevail. I believe that our advantage and happiness consist in the fact that young people are also attached to national music. It is our sacred duty to preserve and develop mugham. The international mugham festivals held in our country several times have also played a special role. Performers from many countries come to these festivals. By conducting this festival in Azerbaijan, we prove once again that mugham is our art, that the homeland of mugham is Azerbaijan, and we communicate it to the whole world. This shows how talented our people are, that our national art enjoys great love beyond our borders and that it lives in many countries.

The Azerbaijani state and the Azerbaijani people appreciate your activities. Twenty years ago, on the basis of an order of great leader Heydar Aliyev, you were awarded the Order of "Shohrat". Ten years ago, by my order, you received the Order of "Istiglal". A week ago, on 4 February, you were awarded the Order of "Sharaf". Please allow me to present this order to you.