Baku hosts conference on religious radicalism, extremism

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

A conference entitled "Islamic Solidarity: Ways to Combat Religious Radicalism and Extremism" was held in Baku on August 17 with the support of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations.

Representatives of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, the Znanie Foundation under the President of Azerbaijan, the Caucasus Muslims Office and the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, religious scholars, as well as experts working in the religious sphere attended the event.

The participants discussed the causes of radicalism trends in the religious environment, the role of Islamic solidarity in preventing these tendencies, as well as further enhancing the effectiveness of comprehensive measures in the relevant field.

Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations Gunduz Ismayilov spoke about the role of Islamic solidarity in the prevention of religious radicalism. The deputy chairman noted that Islamic solidarity, regardless of race, religion, nationality, calls all people to unity.

Ismayilov brought to attention that the announcement of 2017 "The Year of Islamic Solidarity" in Azerbaijan by President Ilham Aliyev, became a message about the possibility of getting rid of religious radicalism and extremism, which became a global problem for the Islamic world.

Then the head of the department of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, Aliheydar Zulfugarov, made a presentation on "Islamic Solidarity: Ways to Combat Religious Radicalism and Extremism".

Fuad Nurullayev, deputy chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, Isahan Valiyev, head of the staff of the Knowledge Foundation under the President of Azerbaijan, Rashad Ilyasov, head of the department of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism, spoke about threats posed by religious radicalism and extremism against nationality, the essence of traditional Islam.