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Nazrin Abdul

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Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO), held a series of high-level meetings at the Vatican to discuss the strengthening of interreligious cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See, Azernews reports.

During talks with Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, both sides praised the steady growth of bilateral relations. The discussions highlighted Azerbaijan’s policy of tolerance and multiculturalism, underscoring its success in fostering peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious communities.

The parties also welcomed the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s partnership with the Holy See, noting that their joint projects not only help preserve global cultural heritage but also advance interfaith understanding.

The meeting addressed the activities of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, including the construction of a second Catholic church. It was also announced that next year, the CMO, together with the Muslim Council of Elders and the UN Alliance of Civilizations, will host an international conference on intra-Islamic dialogue and combating Islamophobia.

Pashazade invited Cardinals Koovakad and Gugerotti to take part in the event and reaffirmed the CMO’s commitment to expanding dialogue with the Vatican.

The Vatican side described Azerbaijan’s interfaith environment as a global model, stressing the importance of promoting it internationally.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassadors to the Holy See, Ilgar Mukhtarov, and to Italy, Rashad Aslanov, also attended the meetings. Sheikhulislam Pashazade later met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, where both sides reaffirmed the exemplary level of Azerbaijan–Vatican relations.