00:00We are part of this society, and surely we shared the joy and pain, the values of the spiritual values,
00:09the national values.
00:13At a time when religious identity is increasingly at the center of conflicts around the world,
00:19questions about how different faiths can coexist peacefully have taken on renewed significance.
00:25In the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan presents itself as an example of religious diversity,
00:31where Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities have lived alongside one another for centuries,
00:36making multiculturalism a central part of the country's national identity.
00:41Azerbaijan is the country with the huge and very rich Christian heritage, the historical Christian heritage,
00:48and it is accepted, this heritage is accepted by such centers of the Christian faith as the Catholic Church,
00:58the Orthodox Church, the Holy See.
01:01Here in Azerbaijan, this value, this understanding of human dignity is very strong.
01:17Several hundred kilometers away, here in Baku, Christianity takes on a different form.
01:23In the Azerbaijani capital, the Church of the Immaculate Conception serves a small Catholic community,
01:30which consists of expats, foreign workers and locals.
01:51Church leaders say interfaith dialogue extends beyond official meetings and is reflected in everyday life,
01:58where members of different religious communities interact through work, education and charitable initiatives.
02:05I think I am already present 70 years and I can confirm that not only the good relationship
02:13with the Sheikh, Hul Islam, Pasha Zadeon, another religion's leader,
02:17but also with simple Muslims, Jewish and Christian domination,
02:25it's a positive impact for my work.
02:39Oggi ci sono molte comuni religiose che vivono insieme, anche la comunità di Hebrew, anche la cristiana, anche le protestanti,
02:49anche le catolici, anche i muslimi.
02:51Quindi penso che sia un grande messaggio che sia possibile vivere e lavorare insieme.
03:05In nord-western Azerbaijan, the historic Kish Church in Shekhi e Gubruk Church in Gakk stand as enduring symbols of
03:14the country's rich Christian heritage.
03:18Preservate through centuries, they reflect Azerbaijan's long tradition of religious diversity and the coexistence of different faiths and cultures.
03:27I would like to describe Azerbaijan a model of multiculturalism as a lived and institutionalized model based on trust and
03:35mutual respect.
03:37So for many centuries, different cultures and religions have lived in these territories side by side in a peaceful coexistence,
03:43not like isolated communities.
03:50Azerbaijan is promoting multiculturalism and interfaith dialogue.
03:54Authorities are investing in the restoration of churches, synagogues and mosques.
03:59And partnerships with international institutions, including the Vatican, are part of a broader strategy of cultural diplomacy.
04:10In September 2025, the Heiderale Foundation, together with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Science, signed a memorandum of understanding with
04:24the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archive.
04:29So within this memorandum, there are several projects planned, such as the digitization, the restoration of the manuscripts.
04:38At a time when conflict and division continue to shape many parts of the world, examples of dialogue and coexistence
04:45remain significant.
04:47In Azerbaijan, that message is reflected not only in official initiatives, but also in everyday life.
04:59in Azerbaijan, that message is reflected not only in international spaces in a while.
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