Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 4 / Trend K.Zarbaliyeva /
Azerbaijan has never had a collision on a national basis, head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Hidayat Orujov said at a round-table discussion on interfaith harmony in building a civil society today.
"On the one hand, we can evaluate this as a result of the voluntary convergence of different cultures and religions, and, on the other hand, this phenomenon is based on the mentality of the Azerbaijani people, and feelings of justice and humanity arising from the essence of Islam," Orujov said.
He added that national leader Heydar Aliyev played an important role in the peaceful coexistence of different confessions in Azerbaijan.
"Thanks to Aliyev's policy, Azerbaijan created all of the conditions for various ethnic communities. Regardless of ethnic origin, no religious minority was expelled from the country and all ethnic groups maintained their national and religious identity," he added.
According to a resolution adopted at the U.N. General Assembly session on Oct. 20, the first week of February each year is now World Interfaith Harmony Week.