The II Forum of Azerbaijani Religious Leaders was held in Baku within the framework of the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty,” APA reports.
Four panel discussions took place on the topics of “Religious Education and Awareness Strategies in the Digital Information Environment,” “The Multicultural Value System: Legal and Cultural Aspects of State–Religion Relations,” “Raising Awareness Among Youth in the Context of Global Influences: Modern Methods and Innovative Approaches,” and “The Role of Religious Communities in Women’s Social and Spiritual Development.”
All four panels concluded with question-and-answer sessions.
At the end, the moderators delivered final remarks on the panels.
At the conclusion, participants of the II Forum of Azerbaijani Religious Leaders addressed an appeal to President Ilham Aliyev.
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The II Forum of Religious Leaders of Azerbaijan is being held in Baku within the framework of the "Year of Constitution and Sovereignty", APA reports.
Representatives of relevant state bodies, teachers of religious educational institutions, theologians and specialists, as well as heads of authorized state bodies of Türkiye and Uzbekistan in the religious sphere are participating in the forum.
Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Ramin Mammadov said in his speech that religious policy in Azerbaijan is based on the principles of democratic, legal, secular statehood and international norms.
Chairman of the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs, Safi Arpagush, said that there are currently hotbeds of conflict in many regions. For this reason, he stressed the importance of religious organizations working together and developing joint projects.
Speaking at the opening of the II Forum of Religious Figures of Azerbaijan in Baku, Deputy State Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan, Rector of the International Islamic Academy Muzaffar Kamilov expressed his sincere gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for the invitation to the participation of the delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in this prestigious international forum, as well as for the high-level organization of the event. He noted that Azerbaijan's experience in ensuring balanced relations between the state and religion is noteworthy.
In his speech at the event, Yernur Aietkenov, a deputy of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized that Kazakhstan, as a polyethnic and multi-confessional state, ensures interreligious harmony and freedom of conscience. He noted that the secular structure of the country and the principles of religious freedom are based on long-standing historical traditions and a rich spiritual heritage.
Salman Musayev, First Deputy Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office, said that religious figures have limited opportunities to speak on television in Azerbaijan.
Gunduz Ismayilov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, told journalists that all regions of the republic are represented at the II Forum of Religious Figures. He noted that the forum is attended not only by religious figures of one religious affiliation or confession, but also by representatives of all religious confessions and religious communities operating in our country: "In addition to representatives of the Caucasian Muslims Office, the forum is attended by representatives of the Russian Orthodox and Georgian Orthodox churches, the Lutheran Church, as well as other Christian religious communities. The goal of the forum is to discuss current issues in the religious sphere." It should be noted that the forum is dedicated to the topic "Constitutional principles of state-religion relations in Azerbaijan: secularism and freedom of conscience."
