Photo: Trend News Agency

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28.Baku ranks among key centers for interreligious dialogue, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations, Gunduz Ismayilov, told reporters on the sidelines of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.

He said that Azerbaijan has evolved from an active participant in the process of interreligious and intercultural dialogue into one of its primary organizers.

According to him, Azerbaijan has been actively involved in this process since restoring its independence, and over the last 20 years, it has assumed a leading role in organizing dialogue initiatives.

"Today, Baku serves as the global hub for intercultural dialogue, which encompasses interreligious dialogue, while Azerbaijan acts as the driving force behind this process," Ismayilov remarked.

The deputy chairman noted that the inclusion of a panel dedicated to interreligious dialogue within the forum is of particular significance for building a shared future. In his view, dialogue is essential for people of different religions and denominations to coexist peacefully on the same planet.

Ismayilov emphasized that highlighting religious differences can, in some cases, lead to conflicts based on ethnic, religious, or sectarian grounds. He highlighted the importance of historical examples of coexistence in the fight against Islamophobia, xenophobia, and antisemitism.

"Azerbaijan’s geopolitical position, political and economic resources, as well as its historical traditions, enable it to become a leading force in this process," he added.

Ismayilov pointed to the practice in Azerbaijan where Muslims belonging to different denominations perform vahdat namaz (unity prayer) in the same mosque, led by the same imam, as an example of inter-denominational relations. He noted that such unity prayers are held both in Baku and in the regions.

He also cited the close proximity of synagogues, the Church of the Archangel Michael, and the Taza Pir Mosque in the capital as evidence of Azerbaijan’s traditions of religious coexistence.

"This isn’t a new achievement; it’s a historical achievement of the Azerbaijani people. Preserving it is a key policy of the Azerbaijani state," Ismayilov stressed.