BAKU, Azerbaijan, October
28.Baku ranks among key centers for
interreligious dialogue, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on
Affairs with Religious Associations, Gunduz Ismayilov, told
reporters on the sidelines of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural
Dialogue, Trend’s
correspondent reports from the event.


He said that Azerbaijan has evolved from an active participant
in the process of interreligious and intercultural dialogue into
one of its primary organizers.


According to him, Azerbaijan has been actively involved in this
process since restoring its independence, and over the last 20
years, it has assumed a leading role in organizing dialogue
initiatives.


"Today, Baku serves as the global hub for intercultural
dialogue, which encompasses interreligious dialogue, while
Azerbaijan acts as the driving force behind this process,"
Ismayilov remarked.


The deputy chairman noted that the inclusion of a panel
dedicated to interreligious dialogue within the forum is of
particular significance for building a shared future. In his view,
dialogue is essential for people of different religions and
denominations to coexist peacefully on the same planet.


Ismayilov emphasized that highlighting religious differences
can, in some cases, lead to conflicts based on ethnic, religious,
or sectarian grounds. He highlighted the importance of historical
examples of coexistence in the fight against Islamophobia,
xenophobia, and antisemitism.







"Azerbaijan’s geopolitical position, political and economic
resources, as well as its historical traditions, enable it to
become a leading force in this process," he added.


Ismayilov pointed to the practice in Azerbaijan where Muslims
belonging to different denominations perform vahdat namaz (unity
prayer) in the same mosque, led by the same imam, as an example of
inter-denominational relations. He noted that such unity prayers
are held both in Baku and in the regions.


He also cited the close proximity of synagogues, the Church of
the Archangel Michael, and the Taza Pir Mosque in the capital as
evidence of Azerbaijan’s traditions of religious coexistence.


"This isn’t a new achievement; it’s a historical achievement of
the Azerbaijani people. Preserving it is a key policy of the
Azerbaijani state," Ismayilov stressed.