Azerbaijan’s Russian community marks 20th formation anniversary
By Jamila Babayeva
Baku hosted an event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Russian community's formation in Azerbaijan on December 26.
The Head of the public and political issues department of presidential administration of Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in Azerbaijan, some members of Azerbaijan, and Russian officials attended the event.
Addressing the event titled "Russian community - 20 years in the family of nations of new Azerbaijan", ambassador Dorokhin said the Russian community in Azerbaijan is an integral part of the country's life.
"Today the community carries out important social and humanitarian functions for the ethnic Russian citizens of Azerbaijan," the diplomat said.
Later, Hasanov read Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's message to the participants of the event.
Azerbaijani president in his message sincerely congratulated the conference participants on the 20th anniversary of creation of Russian community in Azerbaijan and conveyed his best wishes.
"Russian Community public association, making an important contribution to development of international relations and development of civil society over the years, has become one of the most authoritative organizations in the country. The organization that unites patriotic and creative people, is conducting an important work in the field of preservation and development of Russian language and culture, national traditions and customs. We evaluate the cultural and ethnic diversity existing in our society and multiculturalism traditions as a historic achievement of our people and consider it a major focus of the national policy," Ilham Aliyev said in his message.
Azerbaijani president stressed that the "Russian Community" public association has come a fruitful path over the last 20 years, appropriately representing Russians living in Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev expressed confidence that this organization will continue its decisive activity for further strengthening civil solidarity in Azerbaijan, rapprochement and mutual enrichment of nations and cultures, and bringing Azerbaijani realities to the world community.
In his own speech, Hasanov said Russian citizens represent the
majority among the ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan.
"The society of Azerbaijan as a tolerant country has the
multiculturalism traditions. All ethnic minorities living here,
including Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and others have equal
rights," he said.
Hasanov further said Azerbaijan shows respect to all national minorities living in the country and has good attitude towards them.
"This is one of the main features that distinguish Azerbaijan from other countries. National leader Heydar Aliyev has repeatedly stressed that national religious minorities living in Azerbaijan, including the Russians, are our national treasure," he said.
He stressed that Azerbaijan's current policy is aimed at providing each citizen, regardless of religious or ethnic background, with equal rights before the state and law.
"But the Azerbaijanis, living in other post-Soviet countries, for some reason do not receive the same good attitude. The national and civil rights of the Azerbaijanis are grossly violated," he said.
"Sometimes the public bodies of the post-Soviet countries show and promote an unfair attitude towards the Azerbaijanis. This is the difference between Azerbaijan and other countries and societies," Hasanov concluded.
Later in the day, the appeals to Azerbaijani and Russian presidents were adopted.