Los Angeles faith leaders commend Azerbaijan's multiculturalism [PHOTO]
By Trend
U.S. premiere screening of the film "Under One Sun" - produced with support from Heydar Aliyev Foundation – was successfully held in Los Angeles, Azerbaijan’s Consulate General in Los Angeles told Trend.
A well-attended event dedicated to the traditions of
multiculturalism, diversity and tolerance in Azerbaijan was held on
December 5, 2017 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, which is one of the largest and oldest churches of Los
Angeles.
Held jointly by the LDS Church and Azerbaijan’s Consulate General
in Los Angeles, the event was attended by consuls general and
honorary consuls of various countries, faith leaders representing
many different religions, journalists, members of various
communities, representatives of art, culture, science and
education, and others.
Opening the event, the Director of the LDS Church’s Visitors’
Center Elder Lief Erickson and the Director of the Church’s Public
Affairs Matthew Ball expressed their satisfaction for hosting such
an important event.
Speaking afterwards, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles and Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps Nasimi Aghayev thanked the LDS Church for hosting this momentous celebration of multiculturalism, which, he said, was indicative of the Church's strong commitment to multi-faith and multicultural tolerance and harmony.
In his remarks, Aghayev highlighted the ancient traditions of tolerance and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan noting that these traditions have already been raised to the level of state policy in the country. The diplomat said that people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, including Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha’is and representatives of other faiths have been living together in peace, brotherhood and mutual respect for many centuries in Azerbaijan.
The Consul General noted that President Ilham Aliyev repeatedly said that “multiculturalism is a life style in Azerbaijan”.
“We all see and cherish diversity as a virtue that strengthens
us and makes our world a better place,” said Consul General
Aghayev, concluding his remarks.
Other speakers of the evening included Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez,
the Director of the “Churches in Action” and Chair of the Los
Angeles Interfaith Council; Mobed Zarrir Bhandara, Officiating
Priest Zoroastrian Association of California and Member of
Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America; and
Randolph Dobbs, Member of the Regional Baha’i Council of California
and Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Los
Angeles. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon
Wiesenthal Center, who could not be at the event due to his
overseas travels sent a video greeting.
The speakers noted that at a time when hate speech, xenophobia
and racial discrimination are on the rise in various parts of the
world, with its working model of multiculturalism Azerbaijan is
showing the possibility of peace, tolerance, acceptance and harmony
among different religions and ethnic groups.
Then, a documentary film titled “Under One Sun”, which was made in
2016 under the auspices of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev Foundation
and executively produced by Arzu Aliyeva, was screened. This became
the first-ever U.S. screening of the film that features various
ethnic and religious groups living in Azerbaijan peacefully
together, freely preserving and strengthening their languages,
cultures and traditions, without any discrimination. The film,
which is a beautiful testimony to Azerbaijan’s multiculturalism,
was received with long applauses by the audience.
Following the screening, a member of the Church beautifully
performed Azerbaijani classical music on piano.
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