Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.23
By Gulgiz Muradova - Trend:
Since gaining its independence, Azerbaijan has turned into a modern state with a stable economy developing at a rapid pace, said Petar Stoyanov, the former president of Bulgaria and a member of Board of Trustees at the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.
“The leadership of the country has the right to be proud of the achievements," Stoyanov told Trend.
"Tourism and agriculture are intensively developing, while Baku has got a new modern look turning into one of the best European capitals. Everyone can see that Azerbaijan is becoming an increasingly better place to live," he explained.
Stoyanov further noted that one of the most important achievements of Azerbaijan over the years is its opening to the outside world and raise of new generation free from the stereotypes of communist thinking, which is so characteristic to former Soviet states.
"In recent years I had many meetings with the youth of Azerbaijan. Since then, I am firmly convinced that the young people of Azerbaijan are the largest capital of their country. They have impressed me not only with the knowledge of languages, but the responsibility and professionalism with which they deal with their duties. I think this is the biggest bet for the future of Azerbaijan - the intelligent and hardworking youth, who magnificently combine the knowledge of Western universities with the ancient traditions of the homeland," he said.
Speaking about the unique tolerant atmosphere in Azerbaijan, Stoyanov said Azerbaijan is a place, which holds large-scale events devoted to religious and international tolerance.
"Azerbaijan is a truly unique example of tolerance and its citizens can rightly be proud of this. With a predominantly Muslim population, the people of Azerbaijan have a unique sense of understanding and tolerance for Christians and Jews, and in general, for all foreign cultures.
It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan is the birthplace of the great Nizami Ganjavi, whose poetry and philosophy are entirely based on the tolerance and understanding of the other, the different," he said.
Stoyanov said that in today's world, where religious and ethnic hatred, as well as nationalist influences increases, Azerbaijan should be an extremely positive example of cohabitation and tolerance.