Azerbaijan, Baku, May 8 / Trend M. Aliyev /
A discussion on 'Intercultural and interfaith relations for functional communities' was held in Baku on Wednesday within the framework of the first South Caucasus Forum.
The former Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov said in his speech that the most important thing is that people learn to understand each other.
According to him, given the current requirements, it is necessary to modify educational curricula and teaching methods. Speaking about inter-religious conflict in the Balkans, Stoyanov said Bulgaria was able to protect itself.
"Ten per cent of the Bulgarian population is from Turkey and practice all their rights, have their party and a mosque. Our country has a great tradition of peaceful co-existence," Stoyanov said.
The former president of Latvia Valdis Zatlers said religious diversity must exist and be respected.
"It is necessary to create an inclusive religious community in order to be able to build a secular state," Zatlers said.
According to him, the state should be separated from religion, but the relationship should be built on the basis of certain rules.
"There should be rules regulating relations between the state and religion in any country," Zatlers said.
Comment is often highlighted about Islamic fundamentalists, but we must not forget there are even more Christian fundamentalists and atheists, Zatlers said.
Ex-president Luis Alberto Lacalle of Uruguay said in his speech that even atheists have to understand that religions calling for conservatism are not related to politics.
According to him, conservative religions call for the strengthening of society. The difference between fanaticism and religion is that religion unites, whereas fanaticism is the dividing force.
Former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus in his speech spoke about the religious situation in his country. According to him, representatives of all religions in Lithuania respect one another.