President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva is conferred on the honorary medal “Uzeir Hajibeyli”

First Vice-president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva was conferred on the honorary medal “Uzeir Hajibeyli”, instituted by the Azerbaijani Composers Union.

The Azerbaijani Composers Union decided to present the first copy of the honorary medal to Mehriban Aliyeva, for her matchless contribution to preservation of the rich legacy of composer-genius, founder of the contemporary Azerbaijani music, eminent musical critic-scholar, publicist, playwright, pedagogue and public figure Uzeir Hajibeyli, who has had exclusive service in the advancement of the Azerbaijani culture, and for conveying them to future generations.

The first mugham contest was held in 2005, on the occasion of the 120^th anniversary of Uzeir Hajibeyli, following the initiative and under the leadership of Mehriban Aliyeva. In 2008, the project “Uzeir’s World”, dedicated to the life and creativity of the composer-genius, was published. The publication contains “Life Chronicles”, “Uzeir Hajibeyli Encyclopaedia”, the book “Literary and journalistic works”, “Leyli and Majnun” and “Koroghlu” operas, and clavier, libretto and CDs of the music comedies “O Olmasyn Bu Olsun” and “Arshyn Mal Alan”. Moreover, the Uzeir Hajibeyli International Music Festival, which brings together world-renowned musicians from around the world, has been arranged since 2009, as a tradition.

In 2013, a colour version of the movie “Arshyn Mal Alan” was produced by restoring the black-and-white version of this legend of the Azerbaijani cinema art made in 1945, following the initiative and with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.