The İnternational Conference on "Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue for a safer world" was held with the joint initiative of the State Committee on Religious Associations (SCRA) and the Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC) and with the organizational support of the “New Direction” the Foundation for European Reform, Institute for European Security and Religious Freedom in Brussels, the Capital of Belgium. The representatives of think tanks, various religious institutions, foundations and diplomatic corps attended the conference.

The executive director of the think tank "New Direction" Witold de Chevilly, Chief Rabbi and President of the Conference of European Rabbis Pinchas Goldschmidt, Special Representative of the Council of Europe on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes Daniel Höltgen, Chief Executive Officer of Haider Global BVBA in Brussels and London Sajjad Karim, Vice-President of the Geneva Spiritual Appeal Ventzeslav Sabev, President of the central Israelite Consistory of Belgium Philippe Markiewicz, European and Asian Desk Coordinator at the Heartland Initiative and a member of the European Jewish Association Aynur Bashirova, General Authority Seventy, member of the Europe Central Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Erich W. Kopischke, CEO & Chief of Staff to the President of the Conference of European Rabbis Gady Gronich, Brussels Office of the International Baha'i Community - Representative for the Council of Europe, the European Union and the OSCE Ms. Rachel Bayani, Director of the European Jewish Community Centre Rabbi Avi Tawil, Executive Director of the Academy of International Affairs in the Federal City of Bonn Ms. Dr. Mayssoun Zein Al Din, Researcher, of the University of Paris-Est Creteil, Director of MEDFOCUS Younes Belfellah and others expressed their views on “The role of religion in today’s world”, “Interreligious harmony as an important element in sustainable development” How the interfaith dialogue can contribute to peace?” along with Azerbaijani delegation in the three-session conference.

Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of the Mission of Azerbaijan to the European Union Vagif Sadigov emphasized the importance of the conference and achievements in promotion of intercultural dialogue in Azerbaijan. Multiculturalism have been raised to the level of state policy, where representatives of various peoples and religions have historically lived in the environment of peace, tranquillity, mutual respect and trust in Azerbaijan. Diplomatic relations between the two countries are successfully advancing and Belgium is distinguished by an exemplary atmosphere of tolerance, the Ambassador stressed.

Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Religious Associations Sayavush Heydarov has noted that today, hotbeds of conflict have been created both in the Islamic and Christianity world on religious grounds, as well as through inciting interfaith enmity and creation of new hotbeds is not excluded in future. Religious security issues will become the core of global security problems and cause the clash of civilizations, cultures and religions in future which can not be ignored. 

Today’s global challenges, such as the misuse of religion for political purposes, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia pose a serious threat to peace, security and social cohesion. The challenges require consolidating and strengthening efforts at the global scale to promote cultural diversity, inter-civilizational dialogue, understanding between different religions, thereby establishing a solid dialogue among different religions and cultures with the goal of raising tolerance, the Deputy Chairman has emphasized.

The Deputy Chairman has focused on the the successful example of Azerbaijan in this regard and has said that freedom of religion is a priority in Azerbaijan and its protection is the major guarantor of the security of the Republic. Azerbaijan has turned into the heart of the tolerance and an influential international platform on the world map for seeking answers to the global challenges facing mankind in the 21st century, conducting a wide range of dialogues, exchanging ideas and discussions on the most important issues related to humanitarian cooperation. All international organizations, influential religious centres and, above all, countries should necessarily unite the efforts in order to achieve interreligious and intercultural dialogue, peace and tranquillity. In this regard, Azerbaijan is trying to fulfil its moral duty and honourable mission with dignity.

S.Heydarov has emphasized that Azerbaijan’s strategy of multiculturalism and coexistence that laid down by national leader Heydar Aliyev and successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva has already grabbed world attention. The “Baku Process” platform, the key direction of the strategy and whose architect is President Ilham Aliyev, has been estimated as a “road map” for the way out of the moral crisis. Within the “Baku Process”, the Government of Azerbaijan has held a number of events to bring various parties together in the sphere of tolerance, multiculturalism, religions and intercultural dialogue. Azerbaijan has hosted dozens of international and regional conferences, forums and symposiums as well as meetings of international organizations over the last decade in this sphere and this is a solid evidence of that. Official institutions have involved in the process which further speeds up the state’s progress towards its goals in tolerance, multiculturalism, intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

Ravan Hasanov, Executive Director of Baku International Multiculturalism Centre has referred to the drastic consequences of the politicization of religion and noted that the artificial formation of radical or extremist movements causes a widening gap among religions. International organizations sometimes overlook abovementioned processes and it leads to more dangerous issue, in this regard, activities of religious leaders in preventing the use of religion as a tool on a global scale has become significantly important. Modern global processes, growing challenges and threats to security necessarily require combining efforts, expanding international cooperation and advancing interfaith dialogue. Azerbaijan has taken a significant steps and initiatives in this direction, the capital city of Baku has become an important arena for interreligious dialogue at the global level, Mr. Hasanov has emphasized.

Gunduz Ismailov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee made a speech on “Interreligious harmony for sustainable development and peace” and Agil Shirinov, Rector of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology made a speech on “Contribution of Islamic culture to world civilization in the context of interreligious and intercultural dialogue”.

Other speeches have been made on the consequences of the politicization of religion, and that the way of saving humanity from crises, wars, and other global and regional cataclysms, especially the way out of the spiritual crisis worldwide is the spiritual renaissance and traditions of multiculturalism, tolerance and coexistence shaped in Azerbaijan as a “Road Map.

Amid conference a photography exhibition titled “Various religions, common values” was held to promote dialogue between religions and cultures as a continuation of the “Baku Process” founded by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.