National values and nomadic culture presented at the opening ceremony of the IV National Highland Festival - PHOTO

The official opening ceremony of the IV National Highland Festival, held to promote Azerbaijan's national and spiritual values, preserve highland and nomadic culture, and promote it internationally, has taken place.

Idman.biz reports with reference to Telegraf that the opening ceremony of the festival, which was organized in the ethno-settlement "Yaylaq Yurdu" in the Khan yaylag in its original style, was attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov, the President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Bilal Erdogan, the Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Birol Akgun and other officials.

Farid Gayibov said that holding such a festival is a great success for Azerbaijan: "The National Highland Festival is being organized for the fourth year already. The interest in the festival is high. Our main goal is to preserve our traditions and make young people love it. Of course, such events cannot take place without the support of the state. We are also grateful to Bilal Erdogan, the president of the World Ethnosport Confederation, who supports us."

The guests visited residential areas (yurts), Cidir Square, "Yaylaq (agricultural products) market", "Handicraft corner", "Dede Gorgud hearth" (stage for performances), "Yaylaq bed" (places for farm animals), "Pahlavan Square" (competition area), "Ashig Alasgar hearth", "Yaylaq table" (highland cuisine) and other various themed areas, performances by ethnic music groups, performances by local groups, ashig recitation, national dances, folk songs, cultural examples of small nations living in Azerbaijan, stage performances and theatrical compositions, ancient folk games, handicrafts, national clothing samples.

It should be noted that the IV National Highland Festival is organized by the "Javad Khan" History and Culture Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the World Ethnosport Confederation, the Goygol District Executive Authorities, the Ministry of Agriculture, KOBIA, the State Tourism Agency, and the Baku City Ring Operating Company.