On 9 April there was an opening ceremony of the I International Scientific Conference “HEYDAR ALIYEV: Multiculturalism and the Ideology of Tolerance” dedicated to the 95^th Jubilee of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev organized by Azerbaijan University of Languages with the support of the New Azerbaijan Party and Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism.

Prior to the opening ceremony the authorities of Azerbaijan University of Languages with the Rector of the University, the Full Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Honoured Scholar Kamal Abdulla at their head, conference participants and guests laid a wreath and fresh flowers in front of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s bust.

The State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was played.

At the opening ceremony of the conference the Rector of the AUL, Academician Kamal Abdulla expressed his pleasure of meeting the guests at the opening ceremony of the conference dedicated to the 95^th Jubilee of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Rector Kamal Abdulla, who stated that in Azerbaijan the ideology of multiculturalism and tolerance has risen to the level of state policy, pointed out that the relevant policy pursued in Azerbaijan also demonstrates the good will of the Head of the country towards the peoples of other countries. K.Abdulla, who said that this significant event was the first of its kind in the history of the AUL, stated that the aim of the conference is to advocate the activities of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev in Azerbaijani multiculturalism. Rector K.Abdulla expressed his gratitude to the New Azerbaijan Party and Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism for their support of the Conference, which will cover the period from 9 April to 5 May 2018. K.Abdulla focused the attention to the fact that the plenary and closing sessions of the conference will be at Azerbaijan University of Languages, while the sections will be held at the appropriate leading universities of different countries, alongside with Azerbaijan University of Languages in the Republic of Azerbaijan. He stated that the sections will on the themes: “The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan Is the First Democratic Republic in the East” at Ural Federal University after the First President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin (the Russian Federation), “Heydar Aliyev’s Role in the Development of Azerbaijani-Ukrainian Relations” at Kiev National Linguistics University (the Republic of Ukraine), “Heydar Aliyev and the Turkic World” at Erzurum University (Turkey) and “Modern Azerbaijan: Social, Political and Economic Development” at Erciyes University (Turkey), “Above the Borders: Russia and Azerbaijan: the Practice of Intercultural Dialogue” at the State Russian Language Institute after A.S.Pushkin, “Multiculturalism, Social Security, Immigration, Freedom” at Cassino and Southern Lazio University (the Republic of Italy) (with the participation of the Peace and Security Foundation, Roma Tre University, the University of Genoa, Link Campus University, the University of Nimes (France), the International Management University (Moldova)), “The Dialogue as a Factor of Co-existence in the Polycentric World” at Moscow State Linguistics University, “East-West: Intercultural Dialogue in the XXI Century” at Samara Branch of Moscow City Pedagogical University,“Heydar Aliyev’s Role in the Formation of Azerbaijani-Georgian Relations” at Tbilisi State University (Georgia) (with the participation of Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori, Telavi Universities, the appropriate institutes of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and the Knowledge Foundation),“One Belt – One Way: Learning of Multiculturalism” at Huzhou University (the People’s Republic of China), “Heydar Aliyev and Azerbaijani-Belorussian Relations” at Minsk State Linguistics University (the Republic of Belorussia), “Azerbaijani Practice of Multiculturalism” at Belgrade University (the Republic of Serbia), “Azerbaijan and German Multiculturalism” at Augsburg University (the Federative Republic of Germany). K.Abdulla stated that negotiations have been conducted with the above-mentioned universities and the program of joint actions has been developed, the participation of Azerbaijani scholars in each section as well as that of the rectors and representatives of foreign universities in the closing plenary session has been envisaged. K.Abdulla pointed out the interests of the universities hosting the relevant sections of the conference in presenting the multicultural values of their countries and teaching the course “Azerbaijani Multiculturalism” in their countries, alongside with their deep respect to our National Leader Heydar Aliyev. K.Abdulla said that with its unique character this International Conference will give an impetus to the formation of inter-university relations, further dissemination of the National Leader’s ideas in Europe and Asia as well as development of the ideology of Azerbaijanianism in a new format. Besides, Rector K.Abdulla, who pointed out that the conference will serve the consolidation of relations among the universities, specialists and students as well as deepening of the relations among the countries and increase of attention to and interest in our country, said that alongside with the Faculty of the AUL, the science potentials of those universities have also been involved in the process. Rector K.Abdulla expressed his gratitude to everyone closely involved in the organization of the conference and wished success to all in the work of the conference.

After the AUL students sang the student anthem “Guadeamus”, the floor was given to the guests of the conference.

The Deputy Executive Secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party, Chair of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Mubariz Gurbanli, the Acting Executive Director of Baku International Centre of Multiculturalism Ravan Hasanov, the First Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Firudin Gurbanov, the Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Academician Isa Habibbeyli, the Head of the Department of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan Etibar Najafov, the Chief of the Executive Power of the District of Nasimi Asif Asgarov, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan Sanjay Rana spoke of the values of multiculturalism and tolerance of Azerbaijan, the important role played by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the guarantee of the Azerbaijani people’s co-existence with the other nationalities and in the regulation of the interethnic relations. The guests, who noted the great importance of the conference in the acquisition of these values a wide range, shared their valuable ideas about the conference and wished success to the conference in its work.

The AUL student, who spoke of the important role of the conference in the life of the students, the Rector-Caliph Nijat Ashurov and MA student Leyla Jafarova wished success to the organizers and conference participants.

There was also demonstration of the related video-congratulations of the authorities of the Universities hosting the sections – Professor Viktor Anatolyevich Koksharov, the Rector of Ural Federal University after the First President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin, Andrea Trucco, the Vice-Rector for International Affairs of the University of Genoa, Professor Mehemmed Guven, the Rector of Erciyes University and Professor Omer Chelik, the Rector of Erzurum University, Mikhayil Andreyevich Osadchiy, the Vice-Rector for Scientific Issues of the State Russian Language Institute after A.S.Pushkin, Professor Irina Arkadyevna Krayeva, the Rector of Moscow State Linguistics University, Klaus Wolf, the Professor of Faculty of Philology and History of the University of Augsburg of the Federative Republic of Germany, Professor David Gotsiridze from Tbilisi State University after Ivane Javakhashvili of Georgia, Professor Alessandro Figus from Cassino and Southern Lazio University of the Republic of Italy, Massimiliano Fiorucci, the Director of the In-service Training of Roma Tre University, Professor Baranova Natalya Petrovna, the Vice-rector of Minsk State Linguistics University of the Republic of Belorussia. Furthermore, the Head of the International Relations Department of the AUL Nigar Sultanova focused the guests’ attention to the written congratulations of Liqin Zhang, the Rector of Huzhou University of the People’s Republic of China, Professor Vladimir Bumbashirovich, the Rector of the University of Belgrade of the Republic of Serbia, Professor Vasko Roman Vladimirovich, the Rector of Kiev National Linguistics University of the Republic of Ukraine.

The Ceremony ended with the demonstration of a video about the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev’s life and activities.