Domestic

Domestic

Third session â€œWomen as key agents of intercultural dialogueâ€ held within the framework of World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue

08 April 2011 12:15 (UTC +04:00)

APA reports that President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Parliamentarian Mehriban Aliyeva attended the session. The session was chaired by Azerbaijanâ€™s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and Director of Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue of UNESCO KatÃ©rina Stenou. The issues on determination of the theoretical and practical framework with the view of promoting the role of the women as the major representatives of the intercultural dialogue were discussed at the session.

Making a keynote speech at the session Mehriban Aliyeva greeted the guests and spoke about the importance of the forum. Azerbaijanâ€™s First Lady underlined that Baku had recently become a place for intercultural dialogue. Noting that there was strong ground and favorable environment for holding such events in Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva said Azerbaijan was known as a country open to the whole world.

â€œIt is possible to feel high tolerance atmosphere in our country at first sight. Moslem mosque, catholic temple, Orthodox Church, Jewish synagogue located side by side in Baku is the evidence and result of this atmosphere. Different opinions and proposals to be sounded in the forum, results of the event are the decent contribution to straightening of the intercultural dialogueâ€.

Director of Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue of UNESCO KatÃ©rina Stenou noted that the session was very important: â€œBecause this session has been directed to determination of theoretical and practical frame for agitation of the role of women as main representatives of the intercultural dialogue. From this standpoint, intercultural dialogue is considered durable process inspired form joint universal valuesâ€.

Deputy chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia Svetlana Orlova, mayor of 7th district, Paris, member of the European Parliament Rashida Dati, Director of US Intercultural Dialogue Center Vendi Lids-Hurvits said in their speeches that there were several footholds of different political, social and cultural issues in the world. Nevertheless, there are different difficulties too. Lecturers offered to approach the diversity of practice and wishes of women fairly in order to strengthen the dialogue in the world.