Azerbaijan has never experienced national and religious discrimination and confrontation. Progressive national cultural and religious relations based on mutual respect and confidence have existed here.
These traditions come from ancient times: the Jews running away from the Jewish kingdom, ruined as a result of occupation of Jerusalem by Babylon ruler Novukhodonosur II (586 B.C.) found refuge in the territory of Azerbaijan.
The first followers of Christianity settled in Azerbaijan in the first century A.C. and laid a foundation of Albanian autocephaly church that later was set up here. The traditions of tolerance even strengthened with the spread of Islam on the territory of Azerbaijan.
The common fate of numerous ethnic and religious groups residing on the territory of Azerbaijan played a great role in the establishment of strong contacts between them.
The valuable experience of Azerbaijan in the sphere of interreligious dialogue and cooperation has been highly appreciated and is well-known to everyone in the world. The historical visit of the former head of the Roman Catholic Church John Paul II may serve the brightest example of that (May 22-24, 2002). The pontific highly appreciated the traditional historical patience of Azerbaijan.
President Ilham Aliyev constantly meets with the leaders of religious communities and displays interest in their problems and needs. He always delivers congratulating speeches on the occasion of the major religious holidays of Christians and Jewish people. Thus, the historical tolerance and patience formed in Azerbaijan had turned to one of the properties typical of the Azeri society. The policy pursued by the government in this sphere lifted the religious tolerance in the society of Azerbaijan very high.
Azerbaijan, as a state where people of various religions and nationalities live amicably, as a bridge between the East and the West, and the West and the Islamic world, attaches great importance to intercultural dialogue.
Series of international events were held in Azerbaijan in the past years on the theme of religious tolerance. Azerbaijan has become a center to intercultural dialogue at the initiative of the head of state. In his speech in the conference of culture ministers of Europe and neighbor regions in Baku on December 2-3, 2008, President Ilham Aliyev initiated the Baku Process envisaging the development of intercultural dialogue. Official document “Baku Process - a new challenge for the dialogue of civilizations” was adopted in the Round Table “Intercultural dialogue” held as part of the conference of culture ministers of the Islamic countries held in Baku on October 13-15, 2009.
Influential religious figures representing varied regions of the world in the Summit of World Religions Leaders in Baku in 2010 confirmed that Azerbaijan has never experienced national and religious discrimination and confrontation, and progressive national cultural and religious relations based on mutual respect and confidence have existed here.
The 1st World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue held on 7-9 April 2011 in Baku showed once again that organizing such forums Azerbaijan makes effort to bring nations together and keep peace. The Forum featured discussions and adopted decisions making huge contributions to the intercultural dialogue.
State Committee on Work with Religious Institutions and the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation held the First International Baku Forum “State and Religion: Strengthening Tolerance in a Changing World” in December 2012. The Baku Platform was adopted as an outcome of the event. The document stresses the importance of religious tolerance and harm of extremism. It also mentions creation of a cooperation network consisted of government officials, religious figures and scientists for the protection of tolerance in the world, as well the occupant policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan as a universal threat. The Platform suggests the UN to take necessary steps to use a sanction against outrage of religious symbols.
As a multinational and multi-confessional state, the Republic of Azerbaijan conducts a policy of full integration into the international community, attaches great importance to the development of mutual relations, the relations of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the international arena. The religious policy of the government of Azerbaijan is based on building a democratic state, the principle of regulating relations between the state and religion in the national-religious and legal dimensions.
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