Ashraf Siddiqui
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
More than 400 participants from around 80 countries will be participating in the second four-day Maqom International Art Forum to be held under the auspices of UNESCO and ISESCO from June 27 to 30.
The event will be held at the ‘Baghi Shamal’ complex in the city of Zaamin, a tourist destination in the Jezakh Governorate of Uzbekistan.
Maqom International Art Forum is initiated by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev with the aim to safeguard traditional music, promote intercultural dialogue, and preserve and develop cultural diversity through supporting creativity.
The participants this year include Simona-Mirela Miculescu, president of the General Conference of UNESCO; Anar Karimov, deputy secretary-general of Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); Sultan Raif, secretary-general of the International Culture Organization of the Turkic World; Mehmet Surya Er, president of the UNESCO General Conference, Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic World; Setimov, deputy secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Independent States; and Moon Hyung Suk, secretary-general of the Asia Region of the International Folklore Organization.
Others are: Sharifzoda Farrukh Homiddin, deputy minister of Culture of Tajikistan; Adil Karimi, minister of Culture of Azerbaijan; Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey; N. Sherimov, deputy minister Culture of Turkmenistan; Timurian Ajimaliev, first deputy minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic; dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps.
The forum has two main features -- an international scientific and practical conference under theme of ‘Theoretical and practical foundations of Makom Art: problems and solutions’, and a musical concert.
An international jury consisting of the US, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Turkey, Uzbekistan and India will evaluate the contestants in musical concert in three categories: ‘Best Maqam Art Band’, ‘Best Musical Instrumentalist’ and ‘Best Singer’. The winners of the ‘Second International Maqam Art Festival’ competition will be awarded a certificate, a statue and a financial prize.
The grand prize winner will receive $15,000, first place winner, singer or musician gets $10,000, artist group will receive $10,000. Second place winner: singer or musician will get $7,000, artist group receives $7,000 and third place winner: singer/musician will go home with $5,000, artist group $5,000.
In addition, gifts and incentive prizes will be given to active participants in the categories of ‘Best Maqam Singer’; ‘Best Musical Instrumentalist in Maqam’; ‘Best Maqam Professor’; ‘Best Maqam Art Promoter’; ‘Best Young Maqam Artist’, and ‘the best composer of Maqam art’. Each festival participant will also receive a certificate of ‘Participant in the International Maqam Art
Festival’.
There are 14 pavilions representing various administrative units of Uzbekistan alongside Zaminsay River displaying their special culture and arts. The musical heritage items include musical instruments, costumes, handicrafts, works of fine art and sculpture.
The event will also showcase feature films, documentaries, books and photographs, with the aim of promoting, preserving and promoting the art of Maqam to the Uzbek people, strengthening friendly and fraternal relations between musical lovers across the regions and expanding the scope of international cooperation in the cultural and moral-spiritual fields.
The first International Maqam Art Festival was held in September 2018 in the historic city of Shahrasabz, where artists, folklore groups and members of the diplomatic corps from 75 countries participated.
