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Ulviyya Poladova

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Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO), Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, took part in the Peace Alliance Summit held in Luanda, Angola, on July 16–17 at the invitation of Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), and the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, AzerNEWS reports.

The summit was organized as part of the "Call for Peace, End of Wars and Respect for International Law" initiative.

According to the CMO's press service, the opening ceremony featured speeches by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. Speakers highlighted that Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade was the only religious leader participating in the summit.

During his visit, Pashazade held meetings with Moratinos, the presidents of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Prime Minister of Namibia, Angola's foreign minister, the mayor of Gernika in Spain, and several other senior officials.

Addressing the opening of a thematic session on July 17, Allahshukur Pashazade praised the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for its efforts to promote peace and respect for international law. He also commended Moratinos for his contribution to strengthening dialogue among civilizations.

The Sheikh-ul-Islam highlighted Azerbaijan's experience in promoting peace, multiculturalism, and interfaith dialogue, as well as the country's close cooperation with the UN Alliance of Civilizations. He noted that President Ilham Aliyev's efforts to advance the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process have received broad international recognition.

Pashazade stressed that all holy scriptures regard the killing of a single innocent person as a crime against all humanity. He underscored the importance of preserving the memory of the tragedies of Guernica, Srebrenica, and Khojaly, calling for ongoing conflicts to be resolved peacefully on the basis of international law and for stronger international cooperation to prevent future humanitarian disasters.

The thematic session continued with discussions on "The Role of Religious and Faith Leaders in Promoting Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence."