President Aliyev: Azerbaijan has strengthened Islamic solidarity over 35 years in OIC

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan had played an active and responsible role in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over the 35 years since joining the bloc, contributing to Islamic solidarity and helping raise the organization’s international standing.

In a message to participants of the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States in Baku on June 24, President Ilham Aliyev welcomed them to Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports per state media. 

“I sincerely greet you at the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States. Welcome to Azerbaijan! This prestigious platform, which brings together the legislative bodies of brotherly countries, serves not only to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and develop ties in political, economic, social, and humanitarian spheres, but also acts as one of the important mechanisms ensuring the consolidation of Islamic solidarity,” the president said. 

Then President Aliyev said Azerbaijan had remained committed to the organization’s principles since becoming one of the first international bodies the country joined after regaining independence. 

“This year marks 35 years since Azerbaijan joined the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation [OIC]. The OIC was one of the first international organizations Azerbaijan joined after the restoration of its independence. We can proudly state that throughout these years, our country has contributed to strengthening Islamic solidarity, played an active and responsible role in the activities of the OIC, remained faithful to its goals and principles, and actively participated in increasing its authority on the international stage. Azerbaijan has also built multifaceted relations with member states based on strong friendship and brotherhood on a bilateral basis,” he said. 

The Azerbaijani leader noted that the country had consistently felt the support of the OIC during and after its conflict with Armenia. 

“For our part, we have always felt the consistent support of the OIC. During Armenia’s nearly 30-year aggression against Azerbaijan and in the post-war period, the OIC demonstrated a firm position by adopting resolutions and statements that strongly condemned the occupation, supported Azerbaijan’s just cause, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and welcomed the reconstruction and development works in our liberated territories. I would like to especially highlight the activities of the OIC Contact Group on Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan. We highly appreciate this stance of the brotherly countries,” he added. 

The Azerbaijani president said mosques and Islamic monuments in territories that had been under Armenian occupation were deliberately destroyed and looted. 

“Unfortunately, during the occupation, mosques of universal importance and centuries-old monuments of Islamic architecture were deliberately destroyed and looted by Armenia in our cities and villages, which were subjected to urbicide and culturicide. Out of 67 mosques, 65 were completely destroyed, and serious damage was inflicted on the remaining ones. The use of these sacred sites as stables and the keeping of animals — which is considered haram in our religion — was not only an insult to Azerbaijanis but to all Muslims around the world. The missions organized by ICESCO and the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to our liberated territories witnessed these acts of vandalism firsthand,” Aliyev said. 

He then said Azerbaijan is now restoring destroyed religious sites in Garabagh and East Zangezur as part of large-scale reconstruction work, while also building new mosques.

“Today, as part of large-scale reconstruction efforts in the liberated Garabagh and East Zangezur, our destroyed religious sites are being restored to their historical appearance, new mosques are being built, and the call to prayer once again echoes from the minarets after many years,” the president stressed. 

The head of state described the destruction of Islamic cultural heritage in the formerly occupied territories as “a clear manifestation of Islamophobia” and said anti-Muslim hatred and attacks on Islamic values were spreading worldwide.

“The burning of our Holy Book, the Quran, and the publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] can in no way be justified under the pretext of freedom of expression and are completely unacceptable. Islamophobia is not merely intolerance towards Muslims; it is a dangerous trend that threatens mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. It is regrettable that certain political circles in the West, as well as international institutions such as the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, promote anti-Islamic sentiments, attempt to equate Islam with extremism and terrorism, create biased perceptions of our religion, and portray it as a source of threat,” he said.

Additionally, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan regularly organizes international conferences on Islamophobia to draw global attention to the issue, adding that such events were important at a time when anti-Muslim sentiment was spreading “alarmingly.” He said the conferences help promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue and combat stereotypes about Islam.

“Azerbaijan has always attached great importance to the protection of Islamic values, which form an integral part of our national-spiritual values and serve as a moral pillar and guide for billions of people around the world,” he said. 

Aliyev said Azerbaijan had launched various initiatives to promote solidarity and mutual respect in Islam and regularly hosted events organized by the OIC and its institutions. He noted that the cities of Baku, Nakhchivan and Shusha had been named Capital of Islamic Culture in different years.

He also pointed to Azerbaijan’s hosting of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku in 2017, during the “Year of Islamic Solidarity” declared in the country, with the participation of 54 countries.

“Just a few days ago, the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group on the topic of regional integration for the sustainable prosperity of Muslim countries were successfully organized in Baku. In 2027, Azerbaijan will host the 16th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference and will assume the OIC chairmanship. During our chairmanship, we will spare no effort to promote the common interests of member states, deepen cooperation within the organization, strengthen Islamic solidarity, and mobilize joint efforts to turn it into a greater force,” he noted. 

Turning to the parliamentary session itself, President Aliyev said the decision to dedicate the meeting to “Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development in OIC Member States through Parliamentary Cooperation” reflected the determination of member states to seek joint solutions to shared challenges.

“The dedication of the current session to the theme of ‘Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development in OIC Member States through Parliamentary Cooperation’ demonstrates the determination of the member countries of the Parliamentary Union to find joint solutions to common challenges for the progress of our nations. I am confident that the useful initiatives put forward during the session will contribute to the well-being of our brotherly peoples and help create new opportunities for cooperation between our countries. I extend my best wishes to you and wish every success to the session,” he said. 

By Sabina Mammadli