From the Netherlands to Azerbaijan. Krasnaya Sloboda - center of tolerance & multiculturalism

Well-known Dutch public figure, ex-director of Christians in Defense of Israel (CIDI) Hanna Luden, visited Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Trend Life.

Her visit was organized by Saltanat Ravangizi with the support of the famous fashion designer, Associate Professor of the Azerbaijani State University of Culture and Arts, Honored Art Worker Fakhriya Khalafova.

The main purpose of the trip was to get acquainted with the life and activities of the Jewish community in Azerbaijan.

Hanna Luden expressed her admiration for the historical values, traditions of tolerance, and multiculturalism in the country.

As part of the trip, Hanna Luden visited synagogues in Baku, Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town) village in Guba, the residence of Mountain Jews, and also met with the Chairman of the Mountain Jews community of Baku, Milikh Yevdayev.

In her speech, Fakhriya Khalafova emphasized that the Year of Heydar Aliyev is symbolic of more active promotion of Azerbaijan's historical multiculturalism and tolerance traditions worldwide.

"Multiculturalism is a way of life of the Azerbaijani people, which from time immemorial has turned the principles of tolerance, and respect for other religions and cultures into a way of life. Azerbaijan's great national leader once said: Azerbaijan's multinational composition is our wealth and advantage. We appreciate it and will try to keep it. The more the state tries to unite the people, the richer it will be, since every citizen contributes to world culture and civilization. The political course in the field of preserving multiculturalism and tolerance of the Azerbaijani people, carried out under the leadership of the great leader Heydar Aliyev, is confidently continued and developed by President Ilham Aliyev. Thanks to the national and cultural diversity, the atmosphere of ethnic and religious tolerance, Azerbaijan is an example of a multinational and multi-confessional state, a space for intercultural dialogue throughout the world, "said Fakhriya Khalafova.

According to her, representatives of various religious confessions have always shown solidarity with the Azerbaijani people, and fought for the freedom and well-being of the motherland.

"The Alley of Martyrs, where the Azerbaijani sons and daughters found eternal rest, including our citizens belonging to various religious confessions, who fought for the country's freedom and territorial integrity and sacrificed their own lives along the way, today is a symbol of our brotherhood and tolerance. A bright example of this is the heroism of Albert Agarunov, an Azerbaijani tanker, a participant in the first Karabakh war, National Hero of Azerbaijan, who died a heroic death defending Shusha. Agarunov's family was from the village of Krasnaya Sloboda in Guba, inhabited by mountain Jews," she said.

Krasnaya Sloboda or Red Town in Guba is the only Mountain Jewish settlement in the entire post-Soviet space.

For more than 300 years, Mountain Jews have been living here, whose native language is Juhuro.

Kahal forms the basis of the Mountain Jews' social life. Kahal, which means (community) transmits ethnocultural, religious, and social traditions from one generation to another.

To date, nine quarters have been created in Krasnaya Sloboda. Seven synagogues form the village's architectural basis

Krasnaya Sloboda is a modern settlement, consisting mainly of stylish two- and three-story cottages, shops, and household facilities with clean and tidy streets.

It is recognized as the center for the development and preservation of the Mountain Jews' material and spiritual culture in Azerbaijan and beyond.