Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF MULTICULTURALISM IN AZERBAIJAN

Section II

3.1. Objective and Subjective Reasons for the Birth of Azerbaijani Multiculturalism

In the previous chapter we considered serious problems in the management of ethnocultural diversity in society encountered in some Western countries. Western countries were the first to apply multiculturalism as a potential policy model to manage ethnocultural diversity and the leaders of some of those countries have declared it ineffective. In such a complex situation Azerbaijani multiculturalism receives profound support both from the state and the people. The Republic of Azerbaijan is one of the few countries to have adopted multiculturalism as a state policy. The policy of multiculturalism founded by the National Leader of the Azerbaijani People Heydar Aliyev and successfully pursued by Ilham Aliyev, his worthy successor, made important achievements in managing ethnocultural diversity in society. A major sign of this is the intensification of integration processes within society. The unification and integration of different ethnic groups and religious communities within society are of great importance. This prevents conflicts that might arise on ethnic and religious grounds.

There are ethnic and religious conflicts in a number of countries at present. The achievements of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the policy of multiculturalism are one of the main reasons for its successful foreign policy. Because of the great achievements of its multiculturalism policy, the Republic of Azerbaijan has become a centre of multiculturalism. The terms ‘Azerbaijani multiculturalism’

Chapter 3

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Azerbaijani Multiculturalism

and ‘the Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism’ are widely used in the political lexicon. President Ilham Aliyev observed that ‘our experience in multiculturalism in the political sphere, in the regulation of international relations, and in the development of processes within the country is being studied’.

This prompts the question: how did Azerbaijani multiculturalism emerge? What influenced its formation and development?

There are objective and subjective reasons for the birth of Azerbaijani multiculturalism. The objective reasons include, first of all, historical and geographical factors.