An event dedicated to the inclusion of Traditional Art and Symbolism of Kelaghayi within UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was held at the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum. The event included the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the kelaghayi art. The event was implemented as part of the Kelaghayi book presentation, a joint project of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, BP and Expo Org.

Dr Shirin Melikova, Museum Director, noted that kelaghayi, produced in various regions of Azerbaijan, are stored in the collection 'Embroidery, Clothing, Fabric' of the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum. These are the Karabakh, Sheki and Baskal 19th-20th-centuries kelaghayi.

Speaking about the special care shown at the state level to the protection of national values in our country, Shirin Melikova stressed out that the development of kelaghayi art is the focus of attention. Emphasizing the importance of the measures taken by our state in relation to the kelaghayi art, its significance and popularization at the international level, she mentioned the indispensable role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in this ancient traditional art’s globally promotion and presentation.

“Thanks to the multifaceted activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the kelaghayi art has been affirmed at the international level as one of the most important cultural samples in the system of national-traditional values of the Azerbaijani people. At the meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held on November 26, 2014, on the initiative and thanks to the efforts of Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, was included within the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage entitled “Traditional Art and Symbolism of Kelaghayi,” said Shirin Melikova.

Museum director informed that the exhibition displays exquisite kelaghayi with 14 different compositions from the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum’s collection. She added that kelaghayi, a traditional headdress known for centuries, is a symbol of Azerbaijani women’s beauty and has a unique elegance.