The opening ceremony of the International Festival ‘Music of the World’ was held in the Mukam Palace of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan. This was reported by the state news agency 'Turkmenistan: Golden Age'.

The cultural forum gathered in Ashgabat distinguished composers, conductors, opera singers and musicians from Russia, China, France, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

According to the source, the welcoming address by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the beginning of the ceremony emphasised the importance of international creative forums for the promotion of national culture and strengthening of friendly ties between peoples. The Head of State expressed confidence that the festival would become a bright platform for cultural exchange and popularisation of universal humanistic values.

Performances by artists from China, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Russia attracted special attention of the audience. Compositions dedicated to peace, friendship and cultural diversity were performed. The evening ended with the song ‘Türkmen sährasy’, which was welcomed by the audience with standing ovations and applause.

The foyer of the Mukam Palace was decorated with an exhibition introducing the guests to the historical and cultural heritage of Turkmenistan. Excursions to the sights of Ashgabat were organised for foreign participants.

The source notes that the festival also includes creative meetings, master classes of foreign artists and a final gala concert to summarise the results of this large-scale cultural event.