To: President of the Azerbaijan Republic, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev

Dear Mr. President,

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of your birthday. On this remarkable day, I would like to express, once again, my sincere respect and appreciation to you, an experienced public figure and an exceptionally talented and pragmatic political figure and worthy leader of the state of Azerbaijan.

Thanks to your wise, multifaceted and balanced foreign policy, the Azerbaijan Republic has become a strong geopolitical center and true regional leader and gained a special place in both the post-Soviet region and the world community.

Being from Azerbaijan by origin, we in Israel are proud of the fact that Azerbaijan has become and still remains a true example of inter-civilization, interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Thanks to your pragmatic and wise statesmanship, tolerance and multiculturalism have become a way of life for the Azerbaijani public. The Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism is an antidote to nationalism, chauvinism, fascism and terrorism.

I am pleased to note that the State of Israel and the Israeli people highly appreciate your unrivaled and exceptionally caring attitude towards all communities living in Azerbaijan, including the Jewish community. Through your commitment to secularism, multiculturalism and tolerance and your respectful approach towards the representatives of all religions and ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan, you have earned the respect of both the Israeli public and most Jewish communities around the world.

Please accept my best wishes on the occasion of the upcoming Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and the New Year. I sincerely wish you and your beautiful family endless energy, strong health, happiness, prosperity and lots of success in your state activities, and peace and progress to the brotherly people of Azerbaijan.

Best regards,

Arye Gut

Director of the representative office of Baku International Multiculturalism Center in the State of Israel,

Executive Director of the NGO “House of Azerbaijan in Israel”