American expert: Azerbaijan - constructive example of progress

Interview of Day.Az with John Lawrence, Adjunct Professor, School of International & Public Affairs, Columbia University

- Share your impressions with us as one of the participants of the Baku International Humanitarian Forum

I am of course extremely grateful to the Government of Azerbaijan not only for inviting me to the Forum, but also for the chance to see Azerbaijan again today, but as a guest. Such warm hospitality, excellent accommodation and food, and stimulating discussion in the plenary and Round Tables have left a deep impression with me. My colleagues and I have worked for many years, off and on, in Azerbaijan since the late 1990s, and we have noted enormous and positive change over time… the country is growing amazingly in so many ways, and that it is proudly hosting such a Forum for the third time is a signal of national assertion, confidence, and increasing relevance on the world stage... the problems that remain, as with any young nation (and even with very mature nations!) will be solved with Azerbaijan's continuing determination to move beyond single sector economic dependency, as well as increasing ability to set a constructive example to other countries in the region and beyond. It will be very important for Azerbaijan in the future to match its extraordinary progress in infrastructure, trade, commerce and information technology with equal emphasis on the human side of development. The attached picture shows my colleague Michael Hopkins and I being graciously thanked by President Ilham Aliyev at the Forum for our work with the United Nations on turning `black gold into human gold’

-How successful is Azerbaijan on its way to preserve its national identity?

My answer is yes... but there are two sides to your question. The first is the correct assumption that many people outside the region do not yet place Azerbaijan on their personal geographic map of the globe. This is a critical point about Azeri `outreach’ in publicizing itself. The Forums of course are gaining attention, as are sports and entertainment events, and I have seen very impressive pictorial displays of Baku unexpectedly in international airports such as San Juan, Puerto Rico. More however needs to be done, especially in spreading information about the tourist attractions outside Baku, such as the wine region and Nizami tomb around Ganja, and the mountains and spectacular country to the north around Guba, and of course the eternal fires. As to the second aspect of the question, I have no doubt that Azerbaijanis have found their self identity, in language, culture and music long before independence, and are continuing to renew this in the current economic boom. I have learned as a westerner to respect and revere this progression, and am very interested in how it adapts and finds its way in the emerging world of the Caucasus and its neighbors.

-The problem of multicultural dialogue has become the main topic in the forum in Baku. What do you think are the main problems for development of intercultural dialogue in the modern world? What role can Azerbaijan play in this dialogue?

The whole world is on a course towards mixing and adapting, through a number of dimensions such as relative ease of travel, information exchange and social media. Young people meet, fall in love, get married and raise families irrespective of traditional constraints. Azerbaijan with its extensive history, friendly culture, and deeply spiritual approach to life is in many ways a model for the region. The new Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center is a good metaphor, designed by Zaha Hadid, brilliant architect from Iraq, with emphasis on continual flow, graceful curves rather than straight lines.

-What can you say about Karabakh problem, one of the realities, even the most dramatic of Azerbaijan?

I have, of course, observed this problem for many years, and from many conversations understand how deeply it resonates in the soul of Azerbaijan. I have personally visited some of the settlements of displaced persons and talked at length with those residents. This conflict must be resolved, and quickly, peacefully, and in accord with UN resolutions and international law. The longer it persists, the longer the likelihood of violent incidents, and the perpetuation of the inevitable cycle of vengeance and retribution which is like a corrosive cancer on development. It is also a potential blockage on the flow of tourism.