Azerbaijan and Me. A Week Travel Log in Azerbaijan: Part 4

In Summation

Hospitality is Azerbaijan’s Grand-Prix

While in Azerbaijan, I attended the 2-day ‘Azerbaijan 4^th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue – Baku Process.’ It is a new avenue to try to achieve human security, peace and sustainable development. In Azerbaijan, interculturalism is protected by the state.

It is a special place, a model of harmonious coexistence, a place filled with love, a model-state that should transform every nation, for all mankind to learn from.

As part of having a population of different religions and diverse ethnic backgrounds, all are living in incredible harmony. To become the world’s exemplary to such coexistence, Azerbaijan invests a great deal in this path.

World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue

One of these investments is the “World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue,” now in its 4^th year.

Azerbaijan thrives for the world to be a safer place and for that purpose it believes in bringing people from all 4 corners of the world for a poignant dialogue. This is the purpose of the Azerbaijan ‘World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue – Baku Process’ that took place during May 5^th-6^th, 2017.

It is an incredibly well organized world event that brought into Azerbaijan over 800 participants, from all over the world. Its aim is to show, teach, taste and sense a country its citizens are so proud of. Azerbaijan’s exceptional hospitality makes such a gathering exceptionally exciting.

The Azerbaijanis are polite people; they make desirable company to be with and around.

Bridge Between East and West

Due to its location, Azerbaijan thrives to be the corridor, the bridge between east and west. The country is a member of the Council of Europe as well as a member of the Islamic Cooperation Organization. In 2015 Azerbaijan hosted the first European Games, kind of regional Olympics. It is about to host the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, during May 12-22, 2017 and 2017 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix to take place on central streets of Baku on June 23-25, 2017.

Mr. Ilham Aliyev is Azerbaijan’s current president who appears to be a statesman. At the opening event of the 4^th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, Mr. Aliyev spoke for approximately half an hour, without a teleprompter or notes. He spoke from the heart, presenting to the audience, in precise sequence, his country’s thus far accomplishments, goals and challenges and he did not hold back when he had to critique the world community. In his opinion, terrorism is the result of illiteracy and poverty, which Mr. Aliyev is diligently working to defeat in his own backyard.

Azerbaijan is called Republic of Azerbaijan. Its governing system is the Judicial Branch, the Supreme-Court, consisting of 39 judges who meet every three months, using the country’s law that is based on the French and German law. The Legislative Branch, the Milli Majlis, Azerbaijan’s National Assembly and the Executive Branch, the President’s office. The country also has a Prime Minister.

Azerbaijan offers its citizen the freedom they deserve. As a new country, it is seeking security, stability and outside investments.

It was my first time to visit Azerbaijan. In Baku, the country’s capital, there is that Mideast mixed with European architecture characteristic that gives the city a special contrast of old and new. Remnants of the many years of USSR Communist rule can still be seen in the city. The city is growing by leaps and bounds and construction projects can be seen everywhere: Baku, White City project.

It was my first time to be visiting a predominately Moslem county. What I saw, tasted and smelled is exceptionally exiting to share with the world.

Azerbaijan, though a rose in a very thorny neighborhood, could serve as a model for world peace. It is a country where the ancient traditions meet, with pride, the modernity of the 21^st century. There is a certain naiveté to the people of this interesting country, naiveté I hope and pray they never lose in their country’s dynamic growth and from outside influence.

I was told that the people of Azerbaijan love guests, and they showed it, with much respect and hospitality, to everyone who arrived to attend the Forum.

There is a saying, ‘the opposite of love is not hate, it is apathy,’ the apathy it appears that our world is sinking into, not in this small republic.

Go visit Azerbaijan and then please whisper in my ear how right I am of my impression of this quite magical country.