Once known as the “Hiroshima of the Caucasus” due to the devastation inflicted during three decades of Armenian occupation, the city of Aghdam is gradually shedding its scars and reclaiming its soul. The inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center on May 10 marks more than the opening of a cultural venue—it stands as a symbol of Azerbaijan’s deeper efforts to breathe life back into a region long silenced by war and erasure.

Held on the birthday of national leader Heydar Aliyev, the ceremony attended by President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva served as both a celebration and a statement. It was no coincidence. “The opening of the Mugham Center in the revitalized city of Aghdam is a historic event,” the president declared, calling the moment a meaningful convergence of memory, resilience, and national identity.

But beyond symbolism lies substance. The new Mugham Center is a sophisticated cultural hub with a 507-seat concert hall, cinema, library, dance studios, classrooms, and even an open-air amphitheater.........

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