Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

A photo exhibition named "Azerbaijan - pearl of the Islamic culture" reflecting the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s activities on the restoration of historical monuments and construction of new mosques and promoting expansion of Islamic religion and architecture began at the Osman Gazi University in Eskisheher on November 21.

According to the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO), a week-long exhibition is organized by the SCWRO, Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC), Azerbaijan National Tolerance Center within the framework of the International Symposium on the theme of "Cultural Bridges from Caucasus to Anatolia: Seyid Yahya Bakuvi and Khalvati movement" held at the university.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee Gunduz Ismayilov, Executive Secretary of ICYF-DC Elmaddin Mehdiyev and several Turkish officials stressed historic mosques as a spiritual center of the Azerbaijani people.

It was noted that the largest mosque in the South Caucasus Tazapir was burnt in 1918 during the genocide carried out against the Azerbaijani people by the Dashnak-Bolshevik military forces.

The speakers also stressed restoration and the re-establishment of Azerbaijan's most ancient religious monument, the Shamakhi Juma mosque according to the Decree of the President Aliyev and grand opening in May.

It was further noted that the purpose of restoration of mosques is the protection of the history, national heritage, and thinking.