Ilham Aliyev visited CIS National Culinary Festival and attended official reception

On October 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the CIS National Culinary Festival held in the city of Turkmenbashi.

The Festival was held as part of events organized by Turkmenistan with respect to its chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2026. Eight countries are represented at the festival.

A national pavilion comprising two sections was set up at the festival venue through the joint organization of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Tourism Agency. The culinary section of the pavilion showcased Azerbaijan’s national cuisine and rich gastronomic traditions. Local plants, fruits, grains, nuts and other products characteristic of various regions of Azerbaijan were presented here, along with the country’s tea culture tradition, which is included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

The second section of the pavilion showcased carpet weaving, kelaghayi, copper craftsmanship, wood carving and ceramic art. An interior of a 19th-century Garabagh house was also recreated in this section based on an exhibition of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum.

The pavilion also featured performances of Azerbaijani music, including mugham, by young mugham singers.

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An official reception and a concert program were organized today in the city of Turkmenbashi on behalf of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

President Ilham Aliyev attended the event.