Azerbaijan contributes greatly to intercultural dialogue in the world, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
He made the remarks at the Non-Aligned Movement Mid-Term Ministerial Conference, titled "Promoting international peace and security for sustainable development”, in Baku on Thursday.
The head of state said that Azerbaijan takes pride in its history.
"For centuries, representatives of different peoples have lived in peace in Azerbaijan, which has always been a multicultural country and will further develop these values,” he noted.
President Aliyev went on to say that that this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
"The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which was established 100 years ago, granted women the right to vote, which was a peak of freedom back then,” the head of state emphasized.
"We’ve been independent for 26 years, but in the early years of independence we faced the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well as a number of economic difficulties. Economic independence is vital, so we have attached great importance to economic development. Today Azerbaijan has a strong economy, which has grown more than three-fold over the past 15 years. We also prioritize the development of human capital. Numerous schools and hospitals have been built. The welfare and health of Azerbaijani citizens are the main purpose of our policy. We take all the necessary measures to ensure a high quality of life for our people,” he added.
Icmal.Az