On 19 November at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, over 200 guests, including ambassadors and senior representatives from many countries, attended a cultural event hosted by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. The soiree showcased Kyrgyzstan’s rich cultural heritage highlighted by a performance of folk melodies by musicians from the Ustatshakirt Ensemble, established and supported by the Aga Khan Music Initiative (AKMI). AKMI, through Ustatshakirt has, since 2005, been supporting programmes to revitalise local musical traditions throughout Kyrgyzstan benefitting over 7,000 school-going students by offering professional development courses for music teachers and providing instructors with musical repertoires as well as instruments for children’s ensembles.