A dialogue looking to the future Analysing President Aliyev's address

The VI World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue has started its work in Baku. The prestigious event is organised by the Government of Azerbaijan in partnership with UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilisations, the World Tourism Organisation and ISESCO. The forum is attended by 700 dignitaries representing more than 100 countries.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev delivered a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony. During his speech, the head of state touched upon several important issues, including the issue of peaceful settlement with Armenia.

First of all, President Aliyev noted the nature of the Azerbaijani state as a multicultural society where representatives of different ethnicities and religious confessions live in peace and harmony. "One of the factors of peace, stability and solidarity in Azerbaijani society was precisely cultural diversity and mutual respect," the president said, among other things, adding that for the citizens of Azerbaijan, multiculturalism is not an abstract concept but a way of life.

Alongside, there are dangerous trends in the world threatening the peaceful coexistence of peoples and states, among which neo-colonialism occupies a significant place. President Aliyev emphasised Azerbaijan's active role in combating this phenomenon, particularly within the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement. Here is how the President expressed his attitude to this problem: "We cannot allow some major European countries to treat other countries as colonies in the 21st century. When we raised this issue at the international level and during our chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, we did so not because we were against any country, but because we were defending justice and international law." He also noted that the world should not turn a blind eye to the abhorrent practice of neo-colonialism that leads to forced assimilation, as is the case, for example, in more than a dozen overseas territories of France. "This is unacceptable and it must be ended," the Azerbaijani president emphasised.

President Aliyev also stressed Azerbaijan’s determination to contribute to the international dialogue process. "Azerbaijan was unanimously elected as the host country of COP29. Now we see our role in building bridges," the President said, recalling that Azerbaijan can do a lot due to its history, geography, relations with European institutions, as well as its geographical location between East and West. These words are filled with satisfaction at the realisation that Azerbaijan is no longer a hot spot on the planet and can now pursue its global mission to serve as an agent of peace and progress for the entire planet.

President Aliyev also reminded the conference participants that Azerbaijan had to achieve peace through war. "Those who adopted resolutions did nothing for their implementation. Then we were forced to achieve peace through war. In 2020, following the 44-day Patriotic War, we liberated most of our territories. And last September we fully restored our territorial integrity and sovereignty," Ilham Aliyev noted.

The head of state further stressed that Azerbaijan is actively working on the peace process, proposed to Armenia to start negotiations on a peace agreement and even worked out its basic principles and draft. President Aliyev also noted that despite the unjustified political attacks on our country, Azerbaijan still offered peace. He added that positive trends are now being observed and gave the following example: "Border delimitation has started, even demarcation works are underway. And all this is happening right now, during my speech".

The Azerbaijani President then pointed to the significance of this progress in the face of interference from third countries. "Our two countries managed to achieve this without any mediators. This shows once again that we do not need mediators, especially those who pursue their own goals, do not want to help, but want to interfere in our region to achieve their political and economic interests. They only want to add fuel to the fire again," Aliyev said.

The President concluded his address on an optimistic note: "We will not allow another conflict to erupt in the South Caucasus. After thirty years of confrontation, Azerbaijan and Armenia clearly understand that they want peace in the South Caucasus. And such peace can only be achieved through normalisation of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia".

These words of the President inspire hope that Yerevan has finally realised the perniciousness of blindly following the path of foreign patrons and the need to build a road to peace together with Baku for the entire region's benefit.

In general, it can be stated that the head of state used the platform of the VI World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue to once again announce to the world Azerbaijan's aspiration to open a new era in the South Caucasus, an era of liberation from dividing lines and conflict management, an era of peace, stability and cooperation.