Azeri president, spiritual leaders attend inter-religious conference in Baku

Fri 06 November 2009 15:38 GMT | 20:38 Local Time

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Gulustan Palace

Religious and secular leaders from across the region are attending a conference on inter-religious dialogue in Baku.

The conference, Interreligious Dialogue: from Mutual Understanding towards Cooperation, is being held at Baku's Gulustan Palace to mark the 60th birthday of the chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Department, Allahshukur Pashazade, and the 30th anniversary of his appointment as Sheikh ul-Islam.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, senior state and government officials, ambassadors and other diplomats are participating in the conference.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, Metropolitan Filaret of Belarus, the Iranian president’s cultural adviser, Haji Ali Akbari, the Iranian supreme leader's adviser, Ayatollah Ali Taskhiri, the mufti of Uzbekistan, Abdulrashid Kory Bakhromov, and the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Ikmelettin Ihsanoglu, are among the conference guests.

Two political leaders from Russia's North Caucasus are also attending: Chechen President Ramzan Kadirov and Dagestani President Mukhu Aliyev.

The anniversary celebrations will continue at Baku's Teze Pir mosque on Saturday.

APA