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Summer school organized by the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy finishes

22 July 2008 13:31 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Tamara Grigorieva â€“APA. A summer school studying â€œIslam in the Contemporary International Affairsâ€ organized by the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy finished with the event in Guba. Sources at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy told APA, the summer school was the first international school organized in Azerbaijan, which was dedicated to Islam. 35 participants from 15 countries, including USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, Mozambique, Iran and Israel, joined the program. It featured faculty from prominent international schools such as Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University of Boston, USA, Graduate Institute of International Studies of Geneva, Switzerland, Middle East Technical University of Ankara, Turkey, MGIMO of Moscow, Russia, University of Haifa of Tel-Aviv, Israel and Strategic Research Center of the United Arab Emirates. The summer school was opened at the newly-reconstructed Cuma (Friday) Mosque and school attendees were the first visitors of the mosque. Attendees visited the Catholic Church as well and talked with Father Jan Chapla about religious confessions and attitude to the Christianity, as well as reconstruction of Catholic Church in Azerbaijan. The first part of the event was ended with the meeting with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on July 17. Minister spoke about the Islamâ€™s role in formulation of foreign policy of Azerbaijan and answered the questions of participants. At the end of the session participants of the school moved to Guba and visited Jewish settlement and synagogue there. They talked about the attitude to the Jewish community and relations between various religious communities in the country. Participants heard lectures of well-known professors and gained theoretical knowledge on history of Islam, its progress, all ideas and approaches related to this religion. At the end participants received certifications.