The VI International Winter School of Multiculturalism “Dialogue Among Civilizations: New Challenges” has been accomplished.

In this connection a reception was organized in Baku on 18 February.

Speaking the Acting Executive Director of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism Ravan Hasanov said at the reception that the International Summer and Winter Schools of Multicutluralism are held by the recommendation of President Ilham Aliyev and the organizational support of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism. These schools are intended as the continuation of the project on teaching the course “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” at the universities abroad.

R.Hasanov expressed his gratitude to Etibar Najafov, the Head of the Deparment of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration for his support in the implementation of the project. He underlined that the participants of the project had trips to Ismayilli, Gabala, Shamakhi along with Baku, met with the leaders of the ethnic, national communities and religious confessions. they got profound information on Azerbaijan’s ancient history, culture, art, and familiarized themselves with the multicultural ambiance in our country. The participants of the project also visited the State Committee on Work with Religious Organizations and the Caucasian Muslims Office, met with the leaders and members of diplomatic representations operating in out country.

The Acting Executive Director of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism expressed his certainty that on their return to their Motherlands the participants of the project will advocate the model of multiculturalism of Azerbaijan and the realities related to our country. He pointed out that there is the Club of Young Friends of Azerbaijan joined by the participants of the Winter and Summer Schools. The Club has over 300 members.

The Head of the Deparment of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration Etibar Najafov stated that Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism established by President Ilham Aliyev’s Order in 2014 has been implementing a number of successful projects. The International Summer and Winter Schools of Multiculturalism are one of them. These schools  are mainly aimed to familiarize the participants of the project with Azerbaijan’s achievements, share the successes and experience in multuculturalism as well as to show the realities of our country to the students who have successfully accomplished the course “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism”.

The Head of the Department pointed out that the participants of the project have witnessed the regulation of the ethnic, religious diversity in Azerbaijan on the basis of the policy of multiculturalism, the absence of any confrontations on ethnic grounds, the existence of security, harmony among the representatives of different peoples and religions. E.Najafov expressed his hope that the participants of the project will advocate in their Motherlands what they have seen in our country, and prove Azerbaijan’s trust in them.

In their speeches the Deputy Chair of the State Committee on Work with Religious Organizations Gunduz Ismayilov, the Chief of Staff of the Caucasian Muslims Office Simran Hasanov, the Chair of the Religious Community of the Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan Milikh Yevdayev, the Chair of the Alban-Udi Religious Community Robert Mobili pointed out that multiculturalism is the lifestyle, state policy in Azerbaijan. They stated that in our country churches, synagogues, mosques are functioning freely, independently, on the basis of mutual respect, under the conditions of tolerance. Naturally, such an environment has been formed as a result of the policy pursued by the state and of the fact that the people has turned the rare culture of internal co-existence into their lifestyle. The multicultural and tolerant values are Azerbaijan’s moral assets. The policy of tolerance lays foundations for the further consolidation of friendship and fraternity among the ethnic and religious communities in our country. The International Summer and Winter Schools of Multiculturalism have enabled the youth with theoretical knowledge about Azerbaijan to see in our country visually the multicultural and tolerant values they have learnt about.

At the reception the participants of the Winter School were given certificates, the books published by Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism and souvenirs.

In the end the members of the Club of the Young Friends of Azerbaijan addressed President Ilham Aliyev.

Thus, the VI International Winter School of Multiculturalism was accomplished.

It should be mentioned that about 30 students from the leading universities of Azerbaijan, Austria, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Great Britain and Ukraine attended the VI International Winter School of Multiculturalism.

As a result of the Summer and Winter Schools of Multiculturalism, which have turned into a tradition, there is a platform of communication and strong lobby consisting of the intellectual youth supporting the just course of our country in the example of the young friends of Azerbaijan abroad and their close circle. This process, which is continuing intensively, proves that the targets defined by President Ilham Aliyev to present Azerbaijan in the world are being successfully realized.

Запись The VI International Winter School of Multiculturalism Accomplished впервые появилась Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.