On 22 December Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism deliberated on the outcomes of its annual activities for the year 2017.

The deliberation was opened by the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism, Rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages, Academician Kamal Abdulla, who gave information on the activities of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism, the projects implemented by it as well as the work carried out in the field of multiculturalism in 2017. He stated that the Centre has carried out much work to fulfill the tasks suggested by President Ilham Aliyev. And the targets are clear: teaching the course “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” at the universities abroad and its expansion; organization of winter and summer schools of multiculturalism; organization of teaching and continuation of the course on multiculturalism at Azerbaijani universities, also the development of the book “The Scientific-Social Bases of Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” as the continuation of the book “The Literary and Artistic Resources of Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” as well as the organization of the international conference on “Heydar Aliyev 95: the Ideas of Multiculturalism and Tolerance” dedicated to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s 95^th Jubilee.

Kamal Abdulla said that at the universities of many countries the branches of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism have been functioning alongside with the Centres of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture. In next April a number of foreign universities will host the sessions of the international conference. These sessions will be attended also by Azerbaijani delegation. And in May the final meeting of the international conference “The National Leader Heydar Aliyev: the Ideas of Multiculturalism and Tolerance” will be held in Baku. This meeting will be joined by the representatives of those universities.

Kamal Abdulla emphasized the close participation of different religious communities living in our country in the events dedicated to multiculturalism and tolerance.

Further the Acting Executive Director of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism Ravan Hasanov delivered his report on the actions taken in 2017. In his speech he said that the report period saw 1 deliberation, 5 scientific-methodological seminars, 6 conferences, 7 presentations, 13 “roundtables” on different topics within the country as well as 3 “roundtables”, 3 lectures-presentations, 4 conferences outside the country.

Till the end of 2017 the course “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” was taught at 17 leading universities of the world and 36 prestigious universities of Azerbaijan. Four training sessions were held for the teachers of the discipline in the country and abroad within the year, and the attendants were given relevant certificates.

In February 2017 the IV International Winter School of Multiculturalism was held under the motto “Multiculturalism as a Lifestyle in Azerbaijan: What Does Islamic Solidarity Give Us?” in Gabala, Oghuz, Shaki, Gakh and Baku. Likewise, the V International Summer School of Multiculturalism was held under the motto “Intercultural Dialogue in the Context of Religious and Cultural Diversity – Interreligious Harmony in Azerbaijan” in Gakh, Shaki, Gabala and Ismayilli along with the city of Baku.

The member of the Milli Majlis Mikhael Zabalin, who spoke of the multilateral cultural relations of the Russian Cultural Centre with the social, humanitarian, non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan, emphasized the importance of the development of the relations. He said that the existence of the sustainable interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Russia has an important impact on the dynamic relations of the countries. M.Zabelin recalled the agreement on the creative association between Azerbaijan University of Languages and the Russian Language Institute after Pushkin (Russia) as an example of successful cooperation.

The leader of the religious community of the Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan Milikh Yevdayev pointed out the necessity in the expansion of the advocacy of the life standards of the Azerbaijani people. Milikh Yevdayev, who spoke of the successful Azerbaijani trip of the US delegation from the State of Arizona, pointed out the importance of the trip. He stated that the US media has disseminated a number of articles about Azerbaijan which provided a many-field content for a new book titled “The Foreigners About Azerbaijan”.

The leader of the religious community of Baku Lutherans functioning in our country Vera Nesterova, who spoke of the outcomes of the Azerbaijani scholars’ trip to the city of Augsburg, underlined the importance of the expansion of the creative and scientific relations with the leading German educational centres. She also gave thorough information on the conferences and discussions held at Dresden Branch of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism.

Запись Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism Reported on Its Activities in 2017 впервые появилась Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.