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Abbas Ganbay

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Azerbaijan is grateful to Kazakhstan for support in reconstruction works in the territories liberated from occupation. Azerbaijan is restoring destroyed mosques, churches and temples in the liberated territories, Azernews reports.

This was stated by the chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Department (CMD) Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade at the meeting of the XXI session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Astana.

"At present, after restoring its territorial integrity on the basis of the UN Charter and four well-known UN Security Council resolutions, Azerbaijan is restoring destroyed cultural and spiritual heritage sites, including vandalized mosques, churches, and temples, in the liberated territories. We are grateful to all countries that have provided assistance and support to Azerbaijan in restoration works, reconstruction projects, and demining. We especially express our deep gratitude to brotherly Kazakhstan for a gratuitous donation of the Kurmangazy Creative Development Centre built in Fizuli City," Pashazade said.

Clergyman recalled that during his visit to Azerbaijan last year, Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev visited this Centre together with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"This Centre is a very valuable gift to Azerbaijan from our brothers," stressed the SMV Chairman. It is necessary to protest against insulting religious symbols and shrines, in some European countries the tendency of repeated burning of the Koran, the holy book of Muslims, is a very serious offense.

Pashazade added that today, at a time when the world is going through great upheavals, the ideas of human solidarity are more relevant than ever.

"As always, the undisputed priority is the defense of human life - this sacred value given to Azerbaijan by the Almighty. Attempts to foment inter-civilizational clashes can bring the world to the brink of major catastrophes," the clergyman stressed.

According to Pashazade, the tendency to repeatedly burn the Holy Book of Muslims in some European countries is a very serious offense:

"The fact that the UN Human Rights Council held an emergency meeting on such incidents and condemned the burning and desecration of the Koran in some European countries is an indicator of actual recognition of the seriousness of the situation. Therefore, the special UN discussion on this issue launched this year is commendable.

It is the duty of every political and religious leader to prevent speech and actions that lead to hatred and conflict under the pretext of freedom of speech and democracy. We religious leaders should strongly condemn all forms and facts of abuse of religion for political purposes, including terrorist manifestations, hate speech, xenophobia, and extremist acts against religious people in churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship. We must raise our voices against insulting religious symbols and shrines," Allahshukur Pashazade said.

The Congress of World and Traditional Religious Leaders is an important platform for global interreligious dialogue

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