POLITICS
Baku hosts 3rd Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs in Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
Baku, May 1, AZERTAC
The 3rd Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs working in the field of intercultural and interreligious dialogue has kicked off in Baku on the sidelines of the 5th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. It is organized by UNESCO in partnership with the Azerbaijani government.
The Forum is moderated by Coordinator of the UNITWIN Network on Interreligious Dialogue for Intercultural Understanding Fethi Mansouri and UNESCO Chief of Section of Intercultural dialogue of Social and Human Science Sector Ann-Belinda Preis.
Addressing the event, Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Culture Sevda Mammadaliyeva emphasized the importance of holding discussions on intercultural dialogue. She hailed the fact that the number of researches on this matter is rapidly growing worldwide, adding that scientific study of the intercultural dialogue is crucial.
Mammadaliyeva provided an insight into the history of the Baku Process. She said that many world-scale events have been held within framework of the Baku process, bringing together famous public, political, religious figures, academics from all around the world.
Touching upon the state-religion relations in Azerbaijan, the deputy minister mentioned that although the religion in the country is separate from the state, the state attaches special care and attention to the religious people of the country.
Coordinator of the UNITWIN Network on Interreligious Dialogue for Intercultural Understanding Fethi Mansouri spoke about the recent terrorist attacks committed in New Zealand and Sri Lanka. He said these attacks occur due to religious illiteracy and lack of interreligious dialogue among countries.
The forum continued with discussions.