President: We pay special attention to preservation of ethnic diversity and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan

Baku. 1 December. REPORT.AZ/ Baku plays host to the international conference entitled "Religious tolerance traditions in Caucasus and Azerbaijan's model of multiculturalism".

Report informs, members of the Supreme Religious Council of the Caucasian Peoples, State Adviser on Multinational, Multicultural and Religious Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Academician Kamal Abdulla, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church, officials of the diplomatic corps accredited in the country and state, public and religious figures of Azerbaijan attended the event, organized by the Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO).

Opening the conference CMO Chairman Allahshukur Pashazade said that relations between religion and state, established by national leader Heydar Aliyev in multi-national and multi-confessional Azerbaijan, is at high level and developing day by day: "There is stability in Azerbaijan. Ethnic and religious tolerance is supported at the state level. The political will is of great importance in this issue."

State Adviser on Multinational, Multicultural and Religious Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Academician Kamal Abdulla read out President Ilham Aliyev's message to the conference participants.

Text of the message says: "Dear conference participants. I'd like to heartily welcome you - participants of the international conference of the Supreme Religious Council of the Caucasian Peoples, extend my most sincere wishes. Complicated socio-political processes taking place in a globalized world, undesirable phenomena as ethnic and religious conflicts, racial discrimination, religious extremism and Islamophobia observed."

The appeal of the head of state declares that there is a strong need in challenges of monotheistic religions as well as of peace, mercy, compassion and solidarity, inter-civilizational dialogue and cooperation against such cases threatening international security and well-being: "Discussion of Azerbaijan's multiculturalism and tolerance traditions, recognized as a model in the world, is of great scientific, social and political meaning. We pay special attention to preservation of ethnic and cultural diversity and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan."