Azerbaijan is the first Muslim democracy in the world, says educationist Shafag Mehraliyeva

Azerbaijan is the primary Muslim democracy on the earth, mentioned main educationist Shafag Mehraliyeva to The Hindu. In an unique interview, Ms. Mehraliyeva who represents the ADA College of Azerbaijan, a number one centre of liberal research within the South Caucasus area, highlighted Azerbaijan’s historical cultural hyperlinks with India as evident within the hearth temples close to capital Baku and urged nearer instructional and cultural ties between two sides.

“Azerbaijan was declared a Muslim democracy in 1918. This was typically a results of the wave of enlightenment and democratic motion spilling into the Caucasus area from western Europe to Russia and from Russia into the Caucasus and at the moment we have been a part of the Russian empire,” Ms. Mehraliyeva mentioned, recollecting the “proper selections” that the society of Azerbaijan took by prioritising schooling for the youthful generations with the assistance of the wealth that it acquired from its petroleum – “black gold” – sources.

Ms. Mehraliyeva mentioned that Azerbaijan has a wealthy custom of secularism and liberal values which have given it a singular id, making it hospitable for guests and college students of numerous cultural backgrounds. “After we declared ourselves as the primary Muslim democracy, it was additionally the very first nation that gave ladies the best to vote, the best to suffrage. It was accomplished earlier than it occurred in america and earlier than it occurred in lots of western international locations,” she famous.

The ADA College, Ms. Mehraliyeva mentioned, ensures a liberal surroundings positioned in a strategically vital space that has witnessed the dynamics of nice powers for hundreds of years.

In current months, the academic centres of Azerbaijan have acquired better curiosity as the academic infrastructure of close by Ukraine has been significantly diminished due to the battle with Russia. At the least twenty thousand Indian college students who have been learning in Ukraine have been airlifted by the Indian authorities underneath ‘Operation Ganga’. Azerbaijan too has a three-decades-long battle over Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia.

“Security of scholars is an actual concern and an actual dedication. I’d by no means declare that geopolitical dangers usually are not a problem for us initially due to the situation the place we come from and on high of that Azerbaijan has been in a battle with our neighbour Armenia. The scenario modified two years in the past once we took decisive motion to retrieve occupied territories and now, we’re within the stage of rebuilding our relationship with Armenia,” Ms. Mehraliyeva mentioned, emphasising {that a} dialogue for a peace settlement is underway between Azerbaijan and Armenia and that can doubtless present better stability to the area.

Azerbaijan supported by assault drones from Turkey fought a short-lived battle with Armenia in 2020, after which most of Nagorno Karabakh went to Azerbaijan. Since then, a low-intensity battle has been reported from the area though either side have been in talks mediated by Russia.

Ms. Mehraliyeva mentioned that cultural and academic ties can play an important position in bringing international locations nearer and Azerbaijan’s cultural ties with India are far too deep to be uncared for. She referred to the export of Bollywood movies to Azerbaijan throughout the Soviet days when Hollywood movies have been banned within the Soviet republics.

“You possibly can see posters of Hema Malini and Dharmendra in our properties even now,” she mentioned, highlighting the cultural connection that may convey either side nearer.

Ms. Mehraliyeva additionally talked about that Azerbaijan has empowered ladies for greater than a century and points like hijab don’t change into a part of the general public discourse, explaining “As a result of, in our tradition, it needs to be left to a lady’s personal resolution.”