Shark taronalari Int’l Music Festival kicks off in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand

Tashkent-Samarkand, Aug.27, 2019. /Kabar/. The opening ceremony of the Sharq taronalari (Melodies of Orient) XII International Music Festival was held on Registan Square in Samarkand yesterday, Aug. 26.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his welcoming speech noted Shark taronalari has become a kind of platform for dialogue between different cultures and civilizations, countries and peoples, and that each artist, rising to stage on the majestic Registan Square, glorifies the high ideals of humanism, which unite people regardless of their nationality, language and religion.
"This heritage was attracting scientists, craftsmen and artists for centuries. Preservation of the universal heritage, development of musical art as a universal language of intercultural dialogue is one of UNESCO's tasks, and the organization seeks to develop full cooperation with Uzbekistan in this direction," UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay said.
Officials and guests of honour from the CIS Executive Committee, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Poland, Belarus, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other countries also took part in the ceremony.
This year's festival is attended by 340 artists from 75 countries, including Komuz Duet music group from Kyrgyzstan.
The Festival included an international scientific-practical conference "Perspectives of the development of traditional musical art of the Oriental peoples".