Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 26
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
Azerbaijan is devoting outstanding efforts to promote tolerance, peace and respect for differences, which together are values actually advocated by Islam, Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), said.
Azerbaijan's most important initiatives in this regard include the organization of the Baku International Humanitarian Forum in whose sessions ISESCO is an active participant, he said in an interview with Azernews agency.
Altwaijri noted that the Forum aims to achieve significant objectives through an enhanced form of cooperation with the international community, and thanks to its standing as an international cultural and intellectual platform aimed at promoting rapprochement between cultures and religions, peaceful coexistence, and recognition of the right to difference.
"I think these goals together constitute a civilized model for countering the anti-Islam propaganda machine which accuses Islam of favoring terror and rejecting dialogue and coexistence," he added.
Commenting on the newly establishment of Azerbaijan's National Commission for Education, Science and Culture Altwaijri said that it plays an active role in promoting Azerbaijan's cultural relations regionally and worldwide, in view of its location at a crossroads of cultures, nations, religions and civilizations between Europe and Asia.
"The Commission can also coordinate in this regard with the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, by focusing on activities aimed at reducing hatred, extreme violence, religious extremism, Islamophobia and xenophobia, given their role in so many tragedies of today's world," he noted.
ISESCO's Director General also added that the Organization is ready to provide its expertise to Azerbaijan in this field.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova