BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 6. Leyla Aliyeva
visited the Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC),
Trend reports.
BIMC Executive Director Ravan Hasanov briefed Leyla Aliyeva on
the Center’s activities. He noted that the Center, established in
2014 by an order of President Ilham Aliyev, implements important
projects aimed at studying, preserving, and promoting Azerbaijan’s
model of multiculturalism at the international level, while also
cooperating with international organizations. Each year, the Center
organizes international conferences, scientific seminars,
roundtables, and forums. Scholars, researchers, experts, and public
figures from various countries participate in these events to
discuss multiculturalism, interreligious dialogue, and
intercultural cooperation.
Based on President Ilham Aliyev’s initiative to promote
Azerbaijan as a center of multiculturalism worldwide, the Center is
implementing a project to teach the subject “Azerbaijani
Multiculturalism” at local and foreign universities. Within this
project, the course has been taught at 27 leading universities
around the world. At the same time, the subject is taught at the
master’s level in nearly 40 universities across the country, while
“Introduction to Multiculturalism” is taught as a core subject at
the bachelor’s level in higher education institutions.
The Center pays special attention to publishing books,
monographs, scientific articles, methodological materials, and
historical maps related to Azerbaijan’s history and culture, as
well as the proceedings of local and international conferences
organized by BIMC. The Center also prepares books in the languages
of ethnic minorities living in Azerbaijan. These publications are
presented both domestically and in the international academic
community.
A film about the Center’s activities was then screened, and
Leyla Aliyeva familiarized herself with its publications.
Leyla Aliyeva emphasized the importance of projects aimed at
preserving and promoting Azerbaijan’s multicultural values
worldwide. She particularly praised conferences dedicated to
Islamophobia, antisemitism, and xenophobia, as well as efforts to
promote Azerbaijan’s Christian heritage internationally. She also
noted that the emphasis placed on working with young people within
the Center’s activities plays an important role in promoting
Azerbaijani multiculturalism. At the same time, she highlighted the
Center’s significant contribution to fostering understanding and
intercultural dialogue among different peoples.
Leyla Aliyeva also spoke with the Center’s staff and posed for
photos with them.
Leyla Aliyeva is a member of the Board of Guardians of the Baku
International Multiculturalism Center.
