The Executive Director of the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre (BIMC) Ravan Hasanov is on an official visit to Israel.

As part of the visit, the Executive Director traveled to the city of Jerusalem and met with His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem.

During the meeting, information was provided on the main principles of the multiculturalism policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country’s existing environment of religious and cultural diversity, as well as the efforts undertaken to promote mutual respect and dialogue among different religions. Ravan Hasanov emphasized that Azerbaijan has historically been a place where different religions and cultures have coexisted peacefully.

He noted that the Christian community in Azerbaijan has for centuries been an integral part of the country’s social and cultural life, and that the Orthodox, Catholic, and Albanian-Udi Christian communities are protected by the state. It was also stated that all necessary conditions have been created for the functioning of churches, religious monuments are being restored, and the Christian community enjoys equal rights with other religious communities.

Patriarch Theophilos III highly appreciated the multicultural and religious tolerance environment in Azerbaijan, including the preservation of Christian heritage and its support at the state level, and emphasized that strengthening interfaith dialogue is of special importance in the modern world.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on opportunities for mutual cooperation and the development of intercultural and interfaith dialogue.