Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan is a safe place, where representatives of all religions live in peace and harmony, and this model should become an example for the whole world.

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade made the remark on September 14 at a meeting of the Gazi Council of the Caucasus Muslims Office.

Sheikhulislam noted that Azerbaijan is developing both economically and spiritually.

"Due to the fact that the majority of Azerbaijanis are sensible people, it was not possible to sow discord between different religious currents,” Pashazade said.

“There are forces in the world wishing to harm Islam, and Azerbaijan have always fought against this and made a great contribution to Islamic solidarity. This year was proclaimed as the Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev is the first ever head of state to take such a step,” he added.

From time immemorial, Azerbaijan, located at the crossroads of East and West and different civilizations, formed the historical traditions of multiculturalism and tolerance.

Although the secular state Azerbaijan has an overwhelming majority of Muslim population (96 percent), worshipers of other religions enjoy freedom here, and one can often witness Jewish synagogues and Orthodox and Christian churches and other religious centers functioning freely.

By being elected as the member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, ISESCO, as well as other prestigious organizations Azerbaijan established mutually fruitful relations with the Muslim world.

Azerbaijan also acted as an organizer of the several important global cultural forums. The country also gave great contributions to forming the tolerant environment, establishment of the multiculturalism and inter-cultural, inter-civilizational dialogue and popularization of the Islamic values in the world.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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