BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17
By Jani Babayeva - Trend:
Today, the activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation covers all important spheres of life in Azerbaijan beginning from education and healthcare and ending with science and ecology, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, head of the Russia-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Dmitry Savelyev told Trend.
"Of course, first of all, everyone knows the results of the activity conducted by President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva in the field of promoting tolerance in the international arena because the results of the work of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in this sphere affect absolutely everyone,” Savelyev added.
“The historical monuments are being restored and new cultural centers, namely, music schools, museums, galleries, libraries are being created thanks to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation not only within Azerbaijan but also abroad,” a member of the State Duma said. “The historical sites were restored in Rome, a monument to great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nasimi in Moscow was opened thanks to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation."
“Of course, now one of the main priorities for the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is the restoration of mosques and temples in the Azerbaijani lands liberated from the Armenian occupation,” Savelyev said.
“I was in Aghdam, the situation there is simply terrifying,” a member of the State Duma said. “The fact that now Azerbaijan is restoring not only airports, roads, and plants, but also religious buildings, testifies to the great intentions of its leadership. Azerbaijan is developing a place for living rather than only investing in the economy.”
“Currently the preparation is underway for the restoration of mosques in Shusha, reconstruction of a mosque in Zangilan has begun,” Savelyev said. “Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev personally delves into these issues, participates in the symbolic laying of the foundation of newly erected buildings. Religious buildings are being restored in the same way in Vatican, France, Bulgaria, and Serbia.”
“Of course, not only mosques were restored,” a member of the State Duma said. “For example, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the 44-day second Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh war, the restoration of the Albanian Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was completed in Gabala district in late 2020."
The MP stressed that the preservation and promotion of national, spiritual values and historical, cultural heritage have been elevated to the rank of the state policy in Azerbaijan today.
"Baku became a traditional venue for holding the prestigious international events on intercultural and interreligious dialogue long ago,” Savelyev said.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held in 2019,” the MP added. “It is also important not to forget that the Azerbaijani multiculturalism has long been an "export item". It is taught as a discipline in many universities worldwide.”
“In general, by its success in the field of preserving cultural and historical heritage Azerbaijan shows the world the brightest example of effective domestic and foreign policy," Savelyev said.
“Azerbaijani multiculturalism is a real political phenomenon,” the MP said. “Azerbaijan holds a significant position in the world political arena and has a unique reputation as an international mediator country thanks to the consistency of its implementation in everyday life.”
"Azerbaijan is a multinational and multi-confessional country, like Russia,” Savelyev said. “The ethnic and religious diversity is considered here as the national wealth of the country and is supported at the state level. This brings our countries closer in many aspects.”
“Believers, regardless of confession, freely celebrate all their holidays, and often together with neighbors who profess a different religion," the MP said.
Savelyev emphasized that all confessions in Azerbaijan are in close cooperation with each other at the official level.
“The recently approved Advisory Council of the leaders of religious confessions operating in Azerbaijan testifies to this,” the MP said.
"Despite the fact that as a result of the long-term occupation of a huge part of the Azerbaijani lands, many cultural and historical monuments were destroyed, temples and mosques were destroyed or damaged, Azerbaijan remains faithful to the chosen path and time shows all the wisdom of the position chosen by the country's leadership," the MP said.