Exhibition entitled "Azerbaijan - A Space of Tolerance" was opened in New York

Inauguration of a photo exhibition called “Azerbaijan – A Space of Tolerance” took place, 27 September 2013, at UN Headquarters in New York, following the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and   with joint orgaizational support from UN Alliance of Civilizations and the State Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic for Work with Religious Organizations.

At a photo exhibition to continue for a week, photos made by world-renowned photographer Reza Deghati within theframework of the project “Azerbaijan-the address of tolerance” will be displayed. Reza Deghati has made many creative trips to our country.

An official reception was organized on the occasion of the exhibition’s inauguration and the supreme assembly of the UN Alliance of Civilizations’ Friendship Group. Addressing the reception, UN General Secretary’s supreme representative for Alliance of Civilizations Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser said he once more witnessed our country’s having deep traditions in dialogue among cultures and religious tolerance and continuous activity of the Azerbaijani State towards preserving these traditions while at the World Forum for Intercultural Dialogue  held in Baku on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s initiative. According to Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, inauguration of the exhibition "Azerbaijan - A Space of Tolerance" within the framework of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly is a sign of the high appreciation by the world community of the Azerbaijani state's activity in ensuring multiculturalism and tolerance. He expressed a hope that relations between the UN Alliance of Civilizations and Azerbaijan will develop further.

Delivering a speech at the inauguration of the exhibition, head of the State Committee for Works with Religious Entities Elshad Iskandarov talked of the centuries-long history of religious tolerance in Azerbaijan, and underlined that respect for multiculturism and national and religious minorities has been the national feature of the people of Azerbaijan.

E. Iskandarov emphasized that large-scale international events held recent years on the initiative of the State of Azerbaijan, as well as President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva have turned Azerbaijan into a well-known centre of intercultural and interreligious dialogue.