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Heydar Aliyev International
Centre for Universal
Human Heritage
The government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Canada are proud to announce the inauguration of a new cultural initiative, "East-West, West-East, Music for Universal Peace" along with the opening of the Heydar Aliyev International Centre for Universal Human Heritage in Canada.
Heydar Aliyev was a prominent Azeri statesman and renowned international political figure of the twentieth century. Well versed in both Western and Eastern cultures, he understood the importance of art and culture in achieving mutual understanding between nations.
With the object of reaching out to wide audiences and crossing cultural diversities, the Niagara International Chamber Music Festival is honoured to participate in this important project.
The opening ceremonies of the Centre take place on May 9, 2008 at the Pumphouse Visual Arts Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The ceremonies include the unveiling of a bust of the illustrious/celebrated Azeri national statesman Heydar Aliyev.
To continue this celebration and to commemorate the 85th birthday of Heydar Aliyev, the Niagara International Chamber Music Festival is presenting a special concert in Toronto on May 11. This concert will be held in the Imperial Oil Auditorium in the prestigious Ontario Science Centre. The East-West Silk-Road chamber orchestra will be conducted by its Artistic Director, Ismayil Hajiyev.
The program includes a brilliant masterpiece of twentieth-century classical music, the triumphal ode 'Ulu Ondar' by the distinguished Azeri composer Jevdet Hajiyev. The composition is dedicated to Heydar Aliyev. Also featured is the music of prominent Azeri composers Yz. Hajibeyov, G. Garaev, F. Amirov and others, whose compositions have created a universal musical language, appealing to the people of Western countries as well as those of the East and Asia. The concert will be broadcast in countries in the West and the East. Notable political, cultural and religious members of the Canadian community and representatives of UN and UNESCO are invited to this historic event.