President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended an unveiling ceremony of a statue of prominent composer, People's Artist, State Prize laureate Tofig Guliyev in Baku.

Addressing the unveiling ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Good morning. Today we are gathered for the opening of the statue of outstanding composer Tofig Guliyev. This statue erected in the center of our city is a sign of the respect of the Azerbaijani people for the memory of great composer Tofig Guliyev. Indeed, Tofig Guliyev's works have created a revolution in the cultural world of Azerbaijan. Tofig Guliyev can be named both an outstanding composer and a founder of the jazz art in Azerbaijan. At the same time, as a great cultural figure, Tofig Guliyev won the love of the Azerbaijani people.

His works truly represent our wealth. These works are immortal, they are being listened to this day and will be listened to for many years to come. Because underlying all these works are Tofig Guliyev's talent and, at the same time, his love for the people of Azerbaijan, for his native city Baku. Tofig Guliyev was very attached to his people, and his works about Azerbaijan and Baku are evidence of that. At the same time, those who knew him are very well aware that he was a very nice person and a wonderful intellectual in the true sense of the word. He was a prominent cultural figure and took his rightful place in history with his activities, his works and the role he played in the public life of Azerbaijan.

The memory of Tofig Guliyev in Azerbaijan has been immortalized. A commemorative plaque was placed on the building where he lived and one of the streets of our city was named after him. At the same time, a music school is also named after him, and this beautiful statue is being unveiled today. I should also note that by an order of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, Tofig Guliyev was awarded the “Istiglal” order, the highest order of Azerbaijan at that time.

My father Heydar Aliyev was close friends with Tofig Guliyev. They had great respect for each other and maintained it for decades although Heydar Aliyev was the head of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan at the time and then President of independent Azerbaijan, while Tofig Guliyev was someone far from politics throughout his life. He simply contributed so much to Azerbaijan with his works both during the Soviet period and during the years of independence that all of us, even those who did not know him, held him very dear and close to us. As a person who knew him closely, my father appreciated the great human qualities of Tofig Guliyev.

Their friendship was very natural, sincere, selfless and true. On the 80th anniversary of Tofig Guliyev’s birth, Great Leader Heydar Aliyev said the famous words. All of us probably remember those words – we will all leave the world, but Tofig Guliyev's music will live forever. It has been 26 years since that day, but notice how accurate and true these words are. And we see that again now. There is no doubt that this unforgettable music, these songs, the works that clearly show the musical talent of the Azerbaijani people will live on for centuries and continue to delight us and future generations.

First of all, I would like to congratulate the family members of Tofig Guliyev, the musical community of Azerbaijan and the entire Azerbaijani people on the occasion of this wonderful event. Thank you.

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Speakers at the event included Rector of the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibayli, People's Artist, Professor Farhad Badalbayli, People's Artist, prominent composer Polad Bulbuloghlu, Honored Art Worker Rafig Seyidzade and Tofig Guliyev's daughter Lala Guliyeva.

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President Ilham Aliyev then talked to Tofig Guliyev's family members, culture figures and artists.

They once again expressed their gratitude to the head of state for his high attention to and care of the fields of culture and art in Azerbaijan, as well as for erecting the statue of Tofig Guliyev in the center of Baku.