All these facts prove that Azerbaijan is one of the multicultural and multi-confessional countries in the world. In order to protect tolerant traditions and multicultural values in the country, the government started to implementing several state policies for strengthening interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Thus, 2017 declared as a “Year of Islamic Solidarity” is found to be continuation of multiculturalism policy and it is an answer to the ethnic as well as religious conflicts and wars in the world. A year before celebrating Islamic solidarity – 2016 was declared as a “Year of Multiculturalism” in Azerbaijan to highlight an environment of dialogue between different religions and cultures within country while mutual cooperation of ethnic groups, tradition of tolerance and condemnation of all sorts of hatred and xenophobia had been core principles of this policy. Consequently, Azerbaijani government not only established favorable environment for Muslim confessions but also, non-Muslim religious communities, particularly Christians and Jewish. For example, 2166 mosques, 7 synagogues and 14 churches have been built and renovated by the government so far. In doing so, peaceful coexistence, interfaith and intercultural dialogue have become interconnected factors in which Azerbaijan`s stability based on.

Azerbaijan celebrates religious solidarity: Not just Islamic

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