President Ilham Aliyev receives delegation of religious leaders of OTS member states and observer countries [PHOTOS/VIDEO]

Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, received a delegation of Muslim religious leaders from member and observer countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Azernews reports.

The delegation includes Nuriddin Kholiknazarov, Chairman of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, Nauryzbay Otpenov, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Abdulaziz Zakirov, Head of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, and Ahmet Unsal, President of Religious Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

During the meeting, the significance of the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue was highlighted, underscoring its substantial contribution to strengthening relations among peoples and representatives of various religions.

President Ilham Aliyev hailed the successful development of friendly and brotherly relations among Turkic-speaking states. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration among religious leaders of these countries, noting that this cooperation contributes to cementing ties among the nations and peoples.

Touching on the importance of the delegation`s visit to Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, the head of state expressed that this trip would provide a good opportunity for the religious leaders to closely familiarize themselves with ongoing processes in those areas.

President Ilham Aliyev described the opening of secondary school No. 1 named after Mirzo Ulugbek in Fuzuli during President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Azerbaijan, the inauguration of the Kurmangazy Children's Creativity Center in the city of Fuzuli during President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Azerbaijan, and the laying of the foundation stone for a secondary school in the village of Khydyrly in the Aghdam district during President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov’s state visit to Azerbaijan as manifestations of the friendly and brotherly relations. The head of state also fondly recalled the official visit of President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to Azerbaijan.

The Chairman of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, Nuriddin Kholiknazarov, conveyed greetings from Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, while the President of Religious Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ahmet Unsal, conveyed greetings from the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, to President Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked them to relay his greetings back to Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ersin Tatar.

The religious leaders expressed their gratitude for the hospitality they received in Azerbaijan and underscored the significance of the Forum, saying that the Azerbaijani leader’s insightful speech made a profound impression on them. They underlined that the event helps to bring the historical, religious, and cultural roots—based on friendship and brotherhood among Turkic-speaking states—even closer together. President Ilham Aliyev noted that during the occupation, the Armenians had destroyed many of Azerbaijan's historical and religious monuments, adding that construction of new mosques and restoration of those destroyed are in progress as part of large-scale reconstruction projects in the liberated territories.

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the state's support in ensuring religious freedoms and preserving Islamic values in Azerbaijan, as well as for the restoration of religious and historical monuments in the liberated territories. He also highlighted the work of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in this regard, emphasizing its role in preserving religious and cultural wealth.

The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office also paid tribute to the exceptional contributions of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in preserving religious values in Azerbaijan.