During his visit to the Vatican on July 9, Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library and Apostolic Archives.
“Elchi” – reports that this was announced by the SCWRO.
It was noted at the meeting that the solid foundation of relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Holy See is based on mutual respect and commitment to universal values. The foreign policy course defined by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev has played a crucial role in the development of bilateral relations. This policy has been successfully continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, creating conditions for enriching Azerbaijan-Vatican cooperation with new content.
At the same time, it was emphasized that the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, in the areas of protecting world cultural heritage in the Vatican, restoring religious and historical monuments, and promoting inter-civilizational dialogue have made a significant contribution to strengthening friendship and trust.
Ramin Mammadov stated that preserving an environment of coexistence based on mutual respect for representatives of various confessions in Azerbaijan, promoting multicultural values, and showcasing the experience gained in this field on the international stage are among the priority directions.
The high-level partnership between Azerbaijan and the Vatican creates a favorable ground for strengthening humanitarian cooperation, promoting interreligious dialogue, and realizing new joint initiatives. In this regard, the continuation of direct contacts is of particular importance.
Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library and Apostolic Archives, recalled his visit to our country with pleasure and shared his impressions regarding Azerbaijan’s rich historical and cultural heritage and the policy implemented to preserve an environment of tolerance based on religious diversity. He noted that the relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican are based on mutual trust and expressed his confidence that cooperation in humanitarian, scientific, and cultural fields will continue to be successful.
During the meeting, which was held in an atmosphere of productive exchange of views, discussions were held regarding events planned for the 35th anniversary of Azerbaijan-Vatican diplomatic relations, as well as joint projects between the SCWRO and relevant Vatican institutions.
It should be noted that Don Rocco Ronzani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives, and Ilqar Muxtarov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, also participated in the meeting.