On November 4, Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations   met with Cardinal Claudio Gucerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches of the Holy See.
Touching on the successful development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican, the Chairman of the Committee spoke about the multicultural environment of our country. He said that there have never been conflicts due to national and religious discrimination in Azerbaijan, which is historically a place of ethnic-religious tolerance. National Leader Heydar Aliyev made great contributions to the preservation of this tradition. Today, President Ilham Aliyev continues this policy successfully.
Emphasizing the special role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the deepening of bilateral relations with the Vatican, Ramin Mammadov noted that the Foundation implements important projects in the direction of protection, restoration and reconstruction of various material and cultural monuments not only in Azerbaijan, but also abroad.
Ramin Mammadov added that today Azerbaijan contributes to the development of intercivilizational and intercultural dialogue. Relations between the state and religious communities are based on the principles of religious freedom, social justice and mutual dialogue. These principles have a positive effect on the society living in a peaceful and harmonious environment.
Emphasizing the need to strengthen interreligious dialogue and cooperation, Cardinal Claudio Gucerotti said that Azerbaijan's respect for religion and state concern, as well as tolerance towards members of different religions, are an example for other countries. He noted that the environment where harmony prevails creates great opportunities for strengthening understanding and cooperation between religious communities. He emphasized that the attention given to all religious communities, including the Catholic community, and the work done in the direction of restoration of churches and temples in Azerbaijan are highly appreciated.
Claudio Gucerotti applauded the successes of Azerbaijan in the field of religious tolerance and drew attention to the importance of implementing joint projects. He expressed confidence that the Global Summit of Religious Leaders, which will be held on the eve of COP29 under the slogan "World religions for the sake of a green planet", will have a positive effect on the work of increasing the role of religious leaders in the fight against environmental crises.