The international conference on "Interreligious Harmony: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence" continued its work with sessions at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat.
Director of the Library of Alexandria, Ahmed Abdullah Zayed Hegab, speaking at the first session on "Interreligious harmony as the main element of sustainable development" moderated by Dr. Yahya Pallavici, chairman of the "European Muslim Leaders Assembly" ("Eulema") organization, said that accepting the diversity of religions - making them natural is to see it as wealth. This is the most important element for interreligious harmony. We should highlight the shared values of religions, not their differences. Most conflicts in the world today are rooted in misunderstandings, intolerance, and the inability to move beyond stereotypes. That is why the creation of inter-religious harmony is inevitable for the establishment of peace and stability.
Deputy Chairman of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Rafael Huseynov, said that Azerbaijan, the majority of whose population is Muslim, is known in the world as a country that creates a harmonious union of different religions and cultures. The government of Azerbaijan performs extensive and systematic activities to ensure the coexistence of all ethnic groups that worship different religions and speak different languages. He noted that until 1918, Iravan, which was part of Azerbaijan, was known as the "city of mosques". They were all destroyed. This is a clear example of attitude towards other religions, peoples and cultures. 
Jim Dream, Director of Religious Affairs and Integration of Arabic Language Graduates under the President of the Republic of Senegal, said that Interreligious understanding is important for everyone to live their religious beliefs freely and without fear. For this, it is necessary to give the young people the right information about religions, and regularly organize dialogues between representatives of different religions.
Researcher of Islamic sciences, Libyan professor Jamal Abdussalam al-Hajrisi emphasized the importance of interreligious dialogue and harmony in his speech and noted the positive role of religions in ensuring peace and tranquility. He said that the development of inter-religious relations, mutual understanding and cooperation can help to establish sustainable peace on a global scale.
Director of the London Islamic Center, representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ahmed Al-Dubayan stressed the importance of interreligious relations and coexistence, and the importance of people of different religions living together in peace and tranquility in the modern world. He highlighted the importance of education and cultural exchange for the development of understanding and mutual respect in societies.
Fuad Nurullayev, deputy chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Board stating that Azerbaijan is recognized in the world as a country loyal to the principles of humanism, peace-loving and tolerant, said that it is a matter of pride for every Azerbaijani that our country becomes a leader in this field in terms of moral values and is recognized as a center of tolerance in the international arena. He noted that President Ilham Aliyev made tolerance one of the priority directions and main goals of state policy. The "Address of Tolerance - Azerbaijan" project of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, headed by the First Vice-President of our Republic, Mehriban Aliyeva, is also an indicator of the attention paid to this field.
Robert Mobili, the chairman of the Albanian-Udi Christian religious community of the Republic of Azerbaijan, drew attention to the fact that our country is a holy land that values diversity, respects all peoples and religions, and protects their rights and freedoms. He said that Azerbaijan is a country where harmony and coexistence are valued and human dignity is highly valued.
The international conference will continue its work with the next session.