Edited by Anna Popper
The Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary, with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Fund for Support to Azerbaijani Diaspora, and the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan organised a classical music concert and exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the founding father of a modern Azerbaijan, who put his homeland on the world map, at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, on the 16 June 2023.
Under the baton of the well-known Azerbaijani conductor and People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan Yalchin Adigozalov, the famous Hungarian Szolnok Symphonic Orchestra and rising star soprano Seljan Nasibli performed the masterpieces of the great Azerbaijani composers Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Niyazi and Asaf Zeynalli, as well as the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók and Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.
The concert was attended by representatives of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, the National Assembly, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Defence, Economic Development, Culture, and other state institutions, as well as members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Budapest, representatives of the local Azerbaijani community and Azerbaijani students studying in Hungary.
The event started with the screening of a short documentary about the life and legacy of Heydar Aliyev.
In his opening speech, H.E. Tahir Taghizade, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Hungary, emphasized the significant role of the national leader Heydar Aliyev in the areas of progress of Azerbaijan’s statehood and society, including the promotion of Azerbaijani music in the world. The far-sighted policy laid down by the Great Leader continues under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, he added. The Head of Mission also stressed the successful activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by First Vice President Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, in promoting Azerbaijani culture around the world.
The performances were watched with great interest by the audience, accompanied with extended applause. After the concert, the guests viewed a photo exhibition depicting the main stages of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary. The event continued with a reception.
Source: Embassy of Azerbaijan in Budapest
