By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

A cultural program featuring Shashmaqom was held in Paris, France on June 11, 2025. This event was part of the celebration marking the 700th anniversary of Hafiz Shirazi, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program, and the 60th anniversary of UNESCO Water Sciences.

The program showcased performances by masters of Shashmaqom from Tajikistan. The event garnered significant attention from guests and forum participants alike.

The performance of this unique, traditional musical heritage, which is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, profoundly reflects the spiritual culture of the Tajik people and their contribution to global civilization.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, emphasized that holding such international events not only presents national art but also serves as a valuable contribution to strengthening intercultural dialogue.

It's worth noting that on May 12, 2000, by a decree from the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, this masterpiece of Tajik classical music was granted state status. Every year, this day is celebrated throughout the country as Shashmaqom Day.

Shashmaqom is an invaluable and cherished treasure, a grand and captivating art form that has been enriched by thousands of performers and singers over centuries. This cultural masterpiece of Tajik music has been passed down from heart to heart for generations, from master to disciple, as an ancestral heritage.

Shashmaqom boasts a history spanning over a thousand years. In the Middle Ages, the ensemble of Tajik classical music was widely known as "Duvozdahmaqom," and Shashmaqom is considered a historical and artistic continuation of this tradition. It comprises the maqoms: "Buzruk," "Rost," "Navo," "Dugoh," "Segoh," and "Iroq."

Historians suggest that the Sassanid kings elevated the prestige and status of masters of this delicate art to a high social level. During this period, prominent figures like Borbadi Marvazi, Sarkash, Nakisoi Changi, Ozodvori Changi, and Romtini Changi laid the foundation for this musical tradition.

The heritage of traditional Tajik music, Shashmaqom, was refined over many years as a complex, professional serial work. It was orally transmitted from generation to generation as a living tradition through the "master and disciple" system.