Baku, Azerbaijan, March 1
Trend:
Kamal Abdullayev, Academician and State Counsellor for Intercultural, Multicultural and Religious Affairs met BHOS faculty and students and presented his book on literary and artistic sources of multiculturalism in Azerbaijan.
The meeting started with the ceremony of laying wreath on the National Leader Heydar Aliyev's bust at the higher school.
Welcoming the attendees, BHOS rector Elmar Gasimov underlined President Ilham Aliyev's decree on announcing the year 2016, as the Year of Multiculturalism, emphasising its significance, not only from national, but also from international perspective. Stating the fact of the Year 2016 being called as the Year of Multiculturalism as a call to the international community, the rector emphasized that various religious confessions represented in Azerbaijan had been coexisting freely and in mutual understanding for years, while being highly valued by Azerbaijani people in terms of their linguistic, religious and cultural affiliation.
Saying that significant measures had been taking in this respect, Mr. Gasimov talked about relevant activities implemented at BHOS, underlying the events held in collaboration with Azerbaijan Knowledge Foundation, which would be continued in future.
State Counsellor Mr. Abdullayev expressed his delight of being hosted by BHOS where a lot of young talents study. Speaking about the history and policy of multiculturalism he underlined its development perspectives in Azerbaijan. He emphasized the year 2016 being called the Year of Multiculturalism as an indicator demonstrating that multiculturalism became a public policy and a lifestyle, while tolerance became a national democratic value. Mr. Abdullayev also talked about an interdisciplinary policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev directed to protection of the multicultural values in Azerbaijan, adding that this policy had become an inalienable part of our democratic development.
Speaking about the National Leader Heydar Aliyev's role in this respect, Mr. Abdullayev said that due to Heydar Aliyev's support and initiatives, protection of the multicultural values had been envisaged in the national legal framework, including the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, underlying the notion of tolerance, a basic principle of the multiculturalism policy, to be clearly indicated in a number of the articles of the Constitution. The counsellor also spoke about the definition of multiculturalism, explaining it as the process of mutual coexistence among the people representing diverse cultures.
Mr. Abdullayev also spoke about his book noting that the works by classic poets and writers were approached in a different perspective. He also noted that a multicultural approach to our literature was one of the foundation principles defining its power and urgency. He noted that the book as a kind of an attempt to investigate multiculturalism traditions.
Academician Abdullayev said that the book explained various multicultural values with the help of artistic examples from medieval to contemporary times. Speaking about the multicultural elements envisaged in the works by Azerbaijani classic poets and writers, Mr. Abdullayev underlined that relevant examples were presented in the book.
The speeches were followed by the Q&A session and Mr. Abdullayev presented his books to BHOS library and students.
Rector Gasimov awarded an Honorary Guest Diploma to Mr. Abdullayev.