Azerbaijani national music was showcased in Rome, Italy, as part of the “Night of Museums 2026” (Notte dei Musei 2026) initiative.

With the support of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Italy and the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Italy, operating under the Azerbaijani Embassy, a concert program titled "Sound of Balaban in the Spirit of Jazz" was organized in the Hall of Philosophers of Rome’s Capitoline Museum, The Caspian Post reports, citing AZERTAC.

Ambassador Rashad Aslanov noted that the balaban, as an ancient Azerbaijani musical instrument, holds a unique place in the country’s national musical heritage, expressing hope that the concert program will delight the guests with its uniqueness.

Gulnar Taghizada, Deputy Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center, said that the concert was organized as part of the Night of Museums at the initiative of the Municipality of Rome and the "Zetema" Cultural Project.

The event featured performances by Elafsar Rahimov, Nijat Pashazade Nijat Aslanov, Hasan Bilalov and Ali Ibrahimzade.

The European Night of Museums 2026 takes place simultaneously across Europe with the aim of encouraging and promoting awareness of national and European cultural heritage and identity.