President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to the staff of the Azerbaijan State Musical Drama Theatre in Derbent on the occasion of its reopening after reconstruction.
Modern.az reports that the letter states:
"Dear friends.
I congratulate you on a significant event – the opening of the Azerbaijan State Musical Drama Theatre, operating in the city of Derbent, after large-scale reconstruction.
I express my gratitude to the leaderships of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Dagestan for the attention shown to the preservation of this monument of the Azerbaijani people's cultural and historical heritage.
This cultural center, with a history spanning over a century, is one of the oldest collectives of Azerbaijani national theatre art.
The Azerbaijan State Musical Drama Theatre in Derbent, being the only state theatre institution in the Russian Federation performing in the Azerbaijani language, has always played an important role in the cultural life of Dagestan and contributed to the preservation of the national and spiritual values of Azerbaijanis living in the republic. The successful staging of works by prominent Azerbaijani playwrights has earned the cultural center widespread audience appreciation not only in Dagestan but also beyond its borders.
Today, the resumption of the Azerbaijani theatre's activities in Derbent is a great, long-awaited celebration for professional artists and art enthusiasts, as well as for the entire population of Dagestan, which possesses rich cultural diversity.
The peoples of Azerbaijan and Dagestan have been united for centuries by close friendly ties, good neighborliness, and mutual support. These traditional relations play a special role in the relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.
The development of humanitarian cooperation, in turn, is an important factor in Azerbaijan-Russia interstate relations. I am confident that close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Dagestan, including cultural and humanitarian ties, will continue to develop consistently in the future and expand within the framework of Azerbaijan-Russia allied mutual relations.
I once again congratulate the entire staff of the Azerbaijan State Musical Drama Theatre in Derbent on this significant event.
I wish the theatre new creative successes".
