Relations between peoples and religions in Azerbaijan distinguished by its ethno-cultural diversity and the historical principles of coexistence, which we call tolerance today, are based on centuries-old traditions, mutual respect, trust and cooperation. As the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev constantly emphasizes, "Multiculturalism is the way of life of the Azerbaijani people." This quote strongly and completely reflects the deep meaning, the principles of ethno-cultural relations polished and improved by the historical experience of the Azerbaijani society, the traditional and unique model of coexistence between peoples and religions formed for centuries. Here, the term "Azerbaijani people" means equality of rights, freedom of religious belief, unity, unbreakable alliance and fraternal relations of all citizens, regardless of their ethnic, religious and social affiliation, as established in the Basic Law of our state - the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Those provisions are embodied not only in laws, but also in everyday life. It is also known that historically different peoples and religious communities have settled in Azerbaijan, they have played an important role in the socio-political and cultural life of our country, and at the same time, they have preserved their ethno-cultural characteristics, beliefs, lifestyles and traditions thanks to the purposeful policy of the Azerbaijani state, even as a result of mutual cultural exchange, they made great contributions to the culture of Azerbaijan. The foundation of these principles was once laid by the national leader Heydar Aliyev. In one of his speeches, the Great Leader said the following about the essence and unshakable strength of this unity: "The most important wealth of our republic is those who have lived in this land for centuries, tied their fate and their lives to this land, are of different nationalities, different they are religious people. The more people the country unites, the richer it will be."

This truth was once again confirmed during the 44-day War which ended with the glorious victory of the Azerbaijani people. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the architect of our historical victory, the victorious Commander-in-Chief, the Azerbaijani army liberated our occupied lands from the enemy for nearly thirty years. Therefore, the large-scale counter-offensive operation carried out by our armed forces under the code name "Iron Fist" is also symbolic in terms of the ethnic and religious diversity of Azerbaijan, the ideology of Azerbaijanism, the unity of the people of Azerbaijan for the common good, and the successful policy of multiculturalism. One of the main factors that inspired them to victory was the great confidence, trust and confidence of our people in the Commander-in-Chief, the President of Azerbaijan. As at the beginning of the conflict, during the 44-day military operations, hundreds and thousands of representatives of various peoples living in our country - soldiers and officers - served in the ranks of the National Army of Azerbaijan and stood up for the defense of the Homeland. Each of them has proved with their unparalleled bravery that they are ready to die for the sake of restoring the territorial integrity of our country. Among the hundreds of martyrs who died for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, there are also our brave warriors, children of different nations - Agarunovs, Yakovlevs, Polovinkos, Senyushkins and others. The people of Azerbaijan will live their dear memory forever and will never forget it. In the words of President Ilham Aliyev, "All peoples living in Azerbaijan have a great share in the Patriotic War. The Patriotic War once again showed that all nations in Azerbaijan live in conditions of friendship, brotherhood, and solidarity, and this 44-day War once again showed that there is national unity and national solidarity in our country." It is no coincidence that after a twenty-nine-year break in the city of Shusha, which is the cradle of ancient culture, the theme of the "Khari Bulbul" music festival, dedicated to the dear memory of our martyrs, was "Multiculturalism in Azerbaijani music". Music groups and performers of different peoples living in different regions of our country have glorified the ethno-cultural unity, the single Homeland and spread the message of brotherhood to the whole world at this festival.

Today, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev continues the successful policy of protecting the unique multicultural values of the Azerbaijani people under the wise leadership and foresight of Heydar Aliyev. This priority direction is the development of the Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism in our country and its transformation into one of the basic principles of the ideology of Azerbaijanism, which is not only politics, but also the way of life of the Azerbaijani people which constantly strengthens its position in public thinking, it is aimed at the further development and strengthening of our state. It should be noted that the basis of the understanding of the ideology of Azerbaijanism is precisely the civic unity and civic identity based on the historical, moral and cultural traditions of the single Azerbaijani people. The President has repeatedly noted that: "For centuries, representatives of all religions and ethnic groups have lived in peace, kindness, friendship, and mutual understanding as a family in our country. Azerbaijan is a multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country, and this is our great wealth. Our religious and ethnic diversity is our great asset. Religious and national tolerance, tolerance and multicultural values are behind all the steps taken in the direction of successful development and stability in Azerbaijan." The unique policy of multiculturalism conducted under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev has given a strong impetus to the acceleration of ethno-cultural integration processes in our country. As for his vision at the international level, he had a significant impact on the formation of a mutually beneficial and equal dialogue between civilizations and cultures, between different confessions, and on strengthening the position of Azerbaijan as a legal, democratic and secular state.
 
Today, we can say with complete certainty that the ideology of Azerbaijanism and multicultural values stand behind the successful steps taken in the direction of the development of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the strengthening of its stability. It is no secret that Azerbaijan is recognized as the most stable and leading country in the region due to the preservation and development of these values. The consistent policy pursued by the head of state has not only increased the reputation of our country in the world community, but also made it a guarantor of stability and security in the South Caucasus. Let us also emphasize that contrary to the failure of multiculturalism in a number of countries of the world, especially Western countries, the multiculturalism model of Azerbaijan has not only been developed, but also the promotion of the rich experience it has gained in this field, the experience of inter-national and inter-religious dialogue has been expanded. The main reason for the sustainable development of the Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism is that it is based on historical experience, and this policy has become a way of life in a short period of time. This once again shows that, unlike Azerbaijan, Western politicians and experts, based on short-term political interests, approached the concept of "multiculturalism" not as a mechanism of ethno-cultural integration, but as a formal management method of society, a declarative initiative, a means of ethno-religious assimilation, isolation, and discrimination. The Azerbaijan model has supported the revival, protection and development of various ethnic cultures for the provision of ethno-cultural diversity at the socio-cultural and legal level, created favorable conditions for the active integration of religious-ethnic communities into the Azerbaijani society, and was able to raise cultural pluralism to a new stage.

It is an internationally accepted and acknowledged reality that Azerbaijan, located in a geographical space where different religions and ethnic cultures meet, has a rich cultural and spiritual heritage and traditions of multiculturalism and tolerance. It should be noted that multiculturalism as a whole is a policy aimed at the protection and development of cultural diversity of people belonging to different ethnic groups and religions, and the integration of ethnic minorities and minority peoples. The current environment of national-cultural diversity and ethnic-religious tolerance has turned it into a unique platform for discussion and exchange of experiences, distinguished by its ethno-cultural diversity. Today in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the state policy aimed at the protection of that diversity and successfully implemented has brought to the agenda the special care and enrichment of the great historical experience accumulated over the centuries in the field of multiculturalism, and the strengthening of the promotion of unique achievements in this direction in the international world. Baku International Multiculturalism Center was established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 15, 2014, in order to introduce the transformation of multiculturalism and tolerance into the lifestyle of the Azerbaijani people to the world as an example, to develop the experience gained and to strengthen its promotion. According to the decree of the head of state, the Center is tasked with studying the cultural, social and political essence of Azerbaijan, where multiculturalism and tolerance have become a way of life, and preparing a mechanism for its promotion, directing ethno-cultural diversity to the development of the ideology of Azerbaijanism, studying the cultural heritage of various peoples, using the potential of civil society to promote history, culture and important tasks such as supporting the process of preserving religious monuments, ensuring the promotion of the multicultural achievements of the Republic of Azerbaijan in foreign countries by studying them by international experts. 

The socio-economic, cultural and legal reforms carried out in Azerbaijan in recent years, the achievements achieved both in the region and internationally under the leadership of the head of state, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, have had a positive effect on the ethno-cultural field. At the same time, preserving and developing the languages, material, cultural and intangible heritage of the Azerbaijani people, not imposing any restrictions on their religious beliefs, on the contrary, providing comprehensive support by the state for the construction and restoration of churches and synagogues in a Muslim country is an example for a number of countries of the world today. In the words of national leader Heydar Aliyev, "When we say Azerbaijan, we mean its wealth, its beautiful nature. But in addition to all this, the most important wealth of the republic is the people who have lived in this land for centuries, tied their fate, their lives to this land, who belong to different nationalities and follow different religions. The more people the country unites, the richer it will be."

Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, a lot of work has been done in recent years in the direction of the development of Azerbaijani ethnic cultures, the protection of our national and moral values, and the strengthening of respect and reverence for various confessions. Our head of state signed a number of decrees and orders not only related to the material and cultural heritage of Islam, but also related to the repair, restoration and protection of historical and architectural monuments of other traditional confessions, places of religious worship and faith. At the same time, on his initiative, numerous international conferences were held in this direction, and the legislative base was strengthened.

Azerbaijan, which wants to turn multiculturalism into an international platform, today takes important initiatives to mobilize the world community in the fight against ethnic-religious discrimination and intolerance, xenophobia, and ethno-cultural narcissism. It is no coincidence that in 2010, the event on "Globalization, Religion, Traditional Values" was held in Baku, attended by more than 200 representatives representing different countries and religions of the world. The Baku International Humanitarian Forum, which has become traditional since 2011, is a prestigious discussion platform of this kind, where universal humanitarian issues are discussed. Each time, more than 500 well-known social and political figures, prominent representatives of science, culture and art from about 100 countries of the world participate in this forum and exchange ideas effectively. The "Baku Process", launched by Azerbaijan in 2008, aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the Muslim world and Europe, and is also supported by the UN. The World Intercultural Dialogue Forum, held every two years in Azerbaijan, was recognized as "the main global platform for the promotion of intercultural dialogue" by the resolutions of the UN General Assembly. At the same time, Mehriban Aliyeva, the vice president of the Republic of Azerbaijan and her first lady, gives great support to the promotion of the tolerance traditions of our country on a world scale. A series of events of this kind are carried out in several countries of the world under the auspices of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. These events once again show the world the indispensable role of Azerbaijan in promoting the traditions of multiculturalism.
She stressed the importance of multiculturalism at the conference "Religious Tolerance: A Culture of Coexistence in Azerbaijan" held in Paris, the capital of France. Such dangerous factors as xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism have caused the catastrophe of civilizations and peoples. in the history of mankind. As a country with deep roots of multiculturalism, Azerbaijan is ready to play an important role in promoting these values on the world stage.”

All this once again shows that multiculturalism is an integral part of the democratic processes taking place in Azerbaijan today. As a result of the special attention and care of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the development, strengthening and promotion of multiculturalism and tolerance, inter-cultural relations in our country are at their highest level. In Azerbaijan, representatives of different peoples and followers of different religions live together in conditions of mutual respect and understanding, and actively participate in the social and political life of the country. This is a logical result of civil solidarity and healthy ethnic and religious relations formed in Azerbaijan. At the opening of the VI Baku International Humanitarian Forum held in 2018 under the theme "Let's shape a new world and a new man: creativity and human development", the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, once again emphasized this achievement and said: “For centuries, representatives of different religions and peoples have lived in Azerbaijan as a family in conditions of peace, tranquility, and friendliness, and this policy is continued today. The state policy in Azerbaijan in this direction is very efficient and leads to good results. Our historical past and culture show that representatives of different religions have always lived very comfortably in Azerbaijan and lived as a family. Our historical and religious monuments show our ancient history, and at the same time, it shows that Azerbaijan has been a native land, a native place for representatives of various religions.”

Ravan Hasanov,
Executive director of Baku International Multiculturalism Center