Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations, spoke at the 31st International Law and Religion Symposium on "Freedom of Religion as a Tool for Peacebuilding" topic held in Provo, USA, jointly organized by Brigham Young University's Center for International Law and Religion Studies and the Stirling Foundation.
In his speech, Chairman of the State Committee talked about the state policy implemented by President Ilham Aliyev in the direction of the religious tolerance and dialogue environment, ensuring the freedom of religious belief at a high level in our country, and at the same time strengthening these values. He said that Azerbaijan has historically been a place where Christians, Jews and people belonging to other religions lived in conditions of mutual understanding without encountering any obstacles, where ample opportunities were always created for them to protect their ethnic and cultural values. Mosques, synagogues and churches located in Baku are a manifestation of this diversity. Ramin Mammadov emphasized that the freedom of religious belief in Azerbaijan is also established in the Constitution of the country. A strong legal framework fosters religious pluralism, allowing a wide range of religious communities to register and operate without interference. One of the most notable examples of this legal openness is the state registration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Chairman of the Committee also said that Azerbaijan's secular state model is based on the principles of diversity, inclusion, loyalty to neutrality and service to all citizens regardless of their faith. After nearly thirty years of occupation, our country restores Karabakh and its cultural resources, reaffirms its commitment to religious and ethnic diversity, and leaves a legacy of mutual respect and tolerance to future generations.
At the end of his speech, Ramin Mammadov emphasized that the current model of religious coexistence in the state of Utah, which hosted the event, is in many ways similar to the inclusive and tolerant model of Azerbaijan, and expressed confidence that mutual cooperation relations will continue to develop successfully.
It should be noted that the International Symposium on Law and Religion, held since 1994, is one of the important international platforms dedicated to discussing the principles of freedom of religion and investigating mechanisms for better implementation of these principles. The 31st International Symposium on Law and Religion is attended by leaders and representatives of relevant state institutions and international religious institutions, experts of prestigious scientific research centers, as well as members of public organizations. Brigham Young University President Shane Rees, Dean David Moore, Director of the International Law and Religion Research Center Bret Scharfz spoke at the opening of the symposium held on October 6-8.