A delegation led by Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board (CMB), is on a visit to the Kingdom of Belgium.
Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade, who is participating in events within the framework of the 2025 Year of the Islamic World in Belgium and Europe, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium and jointly organized by the European Development and Research Academy (EDARA), ICESCO, the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, and the Caucasus Muslims Board, took part in a High-Level Roundtable at the European Parliament on March 6.
Representatives of the European Parliament, members of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan Jevanshir Pashazade and Gudrat Hasanguliyev, and heads of religious confessions in Azerbaijan—the Head of the Mountain Jewish Community Melih Yevdayev, the Head of the Catholic Community in Azerbaijan and Apostolic Prefect of the Roman Catholic Church Bishop Vladimir Fekete, and the Head of the Albanian-Udi Community Robert Mobili—participated in the event, which served to deepen interfaith and inter-civilizational relations between Europe and the Islamic world.
CMB Chairman Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade spoke at the roundtable, stating that he was honored to convey the greetings and blessings of our people, especially His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, on behalf of Azerbaijan, a country of multicultural values: “Our meeting today in Brussels, the political center of Europe, is a highly significant event and is of historical importance in terms of a real contribution to the deepening of relations between civilizations, religions, and cultures. Undoubtedly, the marking of 2025 as the Year of the Islamic World in Belgium is of universal importance and constitutes important political support for the interreligious dialogue process by the European Union. We highly appreciate this noble, high-value initiative of His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium and wish for its continuation throughout Europe and the world as an exemplary step.”
Stating that Azerbaijan always supports all international efforts serving human solidarity, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade added: “We are proud that you have invited representatives of Azerbaijan to the first reputable event within the framework of the Year of Islam in Europe. This is a great value given to the Azerbaijani state, its multicultural heritage, and its experience of coexistence. The Years of Multiculturalism and Islamic Solidarity declared by His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, and the Baku Process on Intercultural Dialogue of which he is the author, serve human solidarity in the world. We have arrived at today's event together with the heads of religious confessions operating in our country. This is the multicultural tradition of the Azerbaijani state, our way of life. Azerbaijan's successful model of coexistence in terms of interfaith friendship, brotherhood, and cooperation can be an example for the whole world. In Azerbaijan, people of various religious affiliations feel equally the attention, material and moral care, and patronage of the state as an inseparable part of our society. In addition to mosques, churches and synagogues operate freely. What is important is that state-religion relations are at a high level in multinational and multi-confessional Azerbaijan. Ethnic and religious diversity is valued as the national wealth of our country.”
In his speech, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan's multicultural life model: “All heavenly religions, including Islam, and its holy Book, the Holy Quran, attach great importance to human solidarity, mutual understanding, and the philosophy of cooperation with all heavenly religions. Thus, the Azerbaijani state, which has historical experience in building bridges between representatives of different cultures and civilizations, and in coexistence regardless of religion or sect, presents its exemplary model in the field of multicultural, harmonious societal construction to the whole world.” Speaking about the large-scale construction work ongoing in the lands liberated by Azerbaijan from occupation, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade drew attention to the fact that places of worship belonging to all religions are being restored by our state, and added: “Unfortunately, forces that cannot tolerate Azerbaijan are slandering our people, who have tolerant traditions, in their smear campaigns against our country, resorting to double standards by abusing Christian solidarity, and trying to 'blame' Azerbaijan. I would like to take this opportunity to state that the smear campaigns and baseless, biased accusations carried out against Azerbaijan on the international stage by the Armenian Church, which spearheads revanchist ideas in mono-ethnic Armenia, continue. I invite you to visit Azerbaijan, which has restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty recognized by the world community in accordance with UN resolutions, and to personally witness the burned lands, the consequences of the destruction and vandalism committed during the 30-year occupation, the destroyed and desecrated mosques and temples, and our villages and cities wiped off the face of the earth.” Recalling that hate speech and calls spreading throughout the world, including in some European countries, pose the greatest threat to tolerance and multiculturalism, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade drew attention to the necessity of joint, continuous cooperation between heads of state, public, and religious leaders in preventing insults to religious feelings and sacred things, which are of particular sensitivity to millions of people, and instances of abusing religion for political purposes, as well as preventing xenophobia, extremism, and radicalism.
Within the framework of the event, a meeting was held with the Member of the European Union Parliament and Head of the Group for Asian Countries, the Belgian Minister of Health Wouter Beke, as well as a program with the participation of the Belgian official, EDARA President Brahim Laytouss, and Executive Director of the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Ravan Hasanov. In the program, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade spoke in detail about examples of Azerbaijan's tolerance model.
The participation of the Azerbaijani delegation in the events within the framework of the 2025 Year of the Islamic World in Belgium and Europe continues.

Press Service of the Caucasus Muslims Board

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