Rector of the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL), Honorary Scientist, and full member of ANAS Kamal Abdulla delivered a lecture to American students studying at AUL within the CLS Turkish program on July 17.

Speaking about historical and modern processes in the country, the academician recalled that Azerbaijan was one of the former Soviet republics and gained independence after the collapse of the USSR. Noting that independence was not easy, K.Abdulla spoke about the problems that emerged after the collapse of the USSR. Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the most difficult of these problems, Kamal Abdulla said that although Azerbaijan is able to repatriate its lands by force, it is committed to the principle of peaceful settlement of the conflict and actually shows its respect to the world community.

Speaking about "public diplomacy", Abdulla recalled the visits he had undertaken in this context. He noted that the preservation of the Armenian Church in Baku surprised the Armenian representatives who arrived in the capital of Azerbaijan several years ago under the "people's diplomacy". For example, K.Abdulla compared the destruction of the Muslim mosque in Yerevan and the subjugation in Shusha.  Azerbaijanis do not live in Yerevan, the academician said that and noted that there are  different views in Azerbaijan, and said that our country was chosen with its tolerance from ancient times. Speaking about the greatness of people in the works of Nizami in the twelfth century, K.Abdulla also talked about the Islamic Renaissance and pointed out some parts of Fuzuli's Leyli and Majnun works. A poet describing Fuzuli as the prophet of Jesus called him a poet, who freed the whole world from the gloom and wanted to bring it to his heart: "If a poet thought in the Middle Ages, then the social environment surrounding him would have lived the same values."

Speaking about Azerbaijan's traditions of multiculturalism in the future, the rector said that during the presidency of great leader Heydar Aliyev, our country has experienced a real multicultural resound. President Ilham Aliyev has turned multiculturalism into a state policy. "In my opinion, multiculturalism is an important concept for every country," said the rector of AUL, speaking about a story that characterized Azerbaijan's multiculturalism model. The words "Welcome to Azerbaijan's multiculturalism" by K. Abdulla were met with applause by American students.

After the lecture K.Abdulla answered the questions of American students.