Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 116 ] — INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR PEACE — I believe that such state policy together with correctly established relations between state and religion are basic terms of a successful multicultural and tolerant society. As a rare model of interreligious and interconfessional harmony, encompassing the consolidation of the Islamic madhabs, Azerbaijan is now considered to be one of the centres of global interfaith dialogue. We have achieved this thanks to the consistent and thoughtful policy pursued in the country. All traditional religions inspire peace, security, mutual understanding and brotherhood. Interreligious dialogue serves those values, especially the attainment of peace and reconciliation, which has the power to ameliorate all prob- lems at their core. As the representative of Azerbaijan, and as religious leader and Sheikh-ul-Islam, I give my total support to this aim and welcome the steps taken in this direction. It is my great pleasure and honour to become a member of this honourable platform. Let the Almighty Creator bless KAICIID Dialogue Centre in its God-pleasing activities. And Allah bless you. His Virtue Sheikh Ul-Islam A Pashazade Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus His Virtue Prof. Dr. Allahshukur Pashazade is the current chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board (CMB), chairman of the Qazi Council (Fetwa institution) of the CMB and Sheikh ul-Islam of Caucasus. Born in 1949 in Azerbaijan, he received his religious education in Mir Arab Madrasah, Bukhara, then at Tashkent Islamic University, Uzbekistan, graduating in 1975. Upon his return to Azerbaijan, he held several religious posts. In 1980 he was elected Chairman of CMB and received a title of XXII Sheikh ul-Islam of Caucasus. Career Summary v Sheikh ul-Islam and Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims’ Office since 1980 v Co-chair of CIS Interreligious Council since 2004 v Current chairman of the Advisery Council of Muslim Leaders of CIS v Current chairman of the Supreme Religious Board of Caucasian peoples v Senior Fellow of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought of H.K. of Jordan v Fellow of Taqreeb bayn al Mazaheb committee for the Islamic convergence; and of Dar al Taqreeb foundation for the Islamic convergence. our Beatitudes, Your Eminences, Your Excel- lencies, Sisters and Brothers — thanks to the extraordinary staff of KAICIID, we have been given a master class in how to construct a platform for dialogue. We’ve listened a lot, and we’ve been provoked, challenged and stimulated by all of the riches con- tained within this room and by the variety of places that we represent. We’ve had the amazing opportunities to give feedback, interact and to network. The organizing and building of platforms involves huge preparation and care. They don’t happen by accident, and they are only effective, as we’ve heard, if they are locally rel- evant but also locally inspired; and also if they’re broad and representative. There is no point in talking about women and young people if they’re not included. We need to be intentional and look beyond the ceremonial in our invita- tions. Platforms need to be authentic and rooted in practice. There was a great line from yesterday: “We live dialogue.” Rev. Mark Poulson Y