Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Roman Catholic religious community in Azerbaijan sign memorandum of cooperation

President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, MP Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva and head of the Roman Catholic religious community in Azerbaijan Yan Chapple signed the memorandum of cooperation, on September 26.

Mehriban Aliyeva told of tolerance of Azerbaijani nation, stressing people of various religions have lived in friendship in Azerbaijan for centuries. She underlined that there is no difference between the nations on their religion, language, culture and race and this is the attitude of the nation and the state of Azerbaijan on other religions and nations.

Noting the Heydar Aliyev Foundation attaches special importance to protection of tolerance traditions in the country its President underlined that in the framework of the Foundation`s project “Address of tolerance-Azerbaijan” a church is reconstructed and school for Jewish children built.

She reminded on operation of the Catholic Church in Baku, decision on construction of which had been adopted during the visit of Pope Rome John Paul II to Azerbaijan in 2002.

The First Lady of Azerbaijan expressed confidence the memo to be signed will be the new phase between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Catholic religious community.

Mr. Chapple highly valued the cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. He especially stressed the tolerance in Azerbaijan, adding that people of the various religions live here under the atmosphere of peace and friendship.

Highly valuing the attitude in Azerbaijan to other nations and religions he connected this tolerance to the mind of Azerbaijani people, noting this is obviously seen in action of the President of the country. 

Then, Mehriban Aliyeva and Yan Chapple signed the memorandum of cooperation between Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Roman Catholic religious community in Azerbaijan.

The document envisages implementation of the numerous development and reconstruction projects in the field of social and religious structures, actions directed to development of ethnocultural components of nations living in Azerbaijan.

The first steps are already taken in this course. The initial cooperation foresees reconstruction of St. Mary Church in Baku.