Azerbaijani people are tolerant: diaspora committee head
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijani people have always respected cohabitation with representatives of other nations and are tolerant, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov said opening a high-level meeting in Baku on September 5.
The High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the "Shared Societies Forum 2014", due in Azerbaijan next year, is being held in Baku on September 5-6.
The meeting, hosted by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and the Club de Madrid, is supported by the Azerbaijani state committee.
Ibrahimov extended greetings of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the event participants.
"In May Baku hosted the first South Caucasus Forum, which was attended by nearly 60 former heads of state and governments. In the future, similar events will be often held in Baku. The event being conducted these days is a preparation for the second Forum, which will take place next year," he said.
According to Ibrahimov, Azerbaijan is the only country in the world with no cases of anti-semitism.
The mentioned meeting includes discussions on such key issues as conflicts in the South Caucasus, increasing women's participation in society, as well as inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.
The event is attended by the co-chairs of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, former Latvian President Vaira Vike Freiberga, Director of the Library of Alexandria Ismail Serageldin, former President of Finland Tarja Halonen, Commissioner of the UNESCO/ITU Broadband Commission for Digital Development, Walter Fust, as well as President of the Club de Madrid, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Wim Kok, former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga, Center for Global Dialogue and Cooperation (CGDC) President Petar Stoyanov, President of the World Academy of Art and Science Ivo Slaus, and other distinguished figures.