International conference ‘Dialogue between East and West’ held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation
International conference ‘Dialogue between East and West’ was held June 17-18 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The event was organized and supported by the Ziya Bunyadov Oriental Studies Institute, Romanian Institute for Turkish and Central-Asian Studies and Embassy of Azerbaijan in Romania.
The Conference brought together scholars in Oriental Studies from several countries, researchers, scientists, politicians, students, as well Azeri MPs Gultekin Hajibeyli, Fazil Mustafa, Director of the Oriental Studies Institute Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, scholars and scientific workers of the Institute.
Aide to the Romanian President P.Kovacs, Deputy Chairperson of Education Committee at the Romanian parliament K.Iosif, Deputy Minister of Romania for Culture and National Heritage V.Timish and Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Romania Eldar Hasanov addressed the opening ceremony of the Conference.
On the sidelines of the event, the Ziya Bunyadov Oriental Studies Institute and the Institute for Turkish and Central-Asian Studies signed a memorandum on cooperation. The memorandum, which is the first bilateral document on cooperation of the newly established Institute for Turkish and Central-Asian Studies, envisages organizing reciprocal visits of scholars to deliver reports on history and culture of Turkic and Central Asian nations, joint researches and their publication, granting reciprocal access to archives and libraries and arranging joint seminars, conferences and symposiums, training of specialists and rendering mutual help in their specialization courses.
Rendering financial aid on behalf of the state of Azerbaijan upon instruction of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to support the Institute for Turkish and Central-Asian Studies was declared in the Conference and Ambassador Hasanov presented a cheque of funds allotted to Director of the Institute T.Jemil. The participants highly assessed the support by the Azeri state. The attendees underlined importance of the Department for Study of Azerbaijan at the Institute, which is the first in Europe, expressed confidence in its fruitful action.
The Institute that is the only in Central and Eastern Europe deals with study and popularization of Turkic heritage, culture, language, art, development and enhancement of ties among nations in Romania and Turkic-speaking countries. Learning and propaganda of Study of Azerbaijan at the famous higher education center in Europe on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation is of great significance.
Books by 3 Azeri youth – Igbal Hajiyev, Fakhri Kerimli and Hamza Kerimov who got education and received academic degree of doctor of science in Romania were presented in the Conference.
The event featured sessions ‘Lessons from the history in the East-West relationship’, ‘Opportunities and threats for the dialogue between East and West’, ‘Participation of woman politicians and NGOs in the new international context’, ‘The role of scientists in the dialogue of civilizations’.
In her speech themed ‘Cultural synthesis in the dialogue of civilizations’, G.Bakhshaliyeva gave a comprehensive information on reforms carried out by the state of Azerbaijan in field of development of science and education system, Armenian aggression to Azerbaijan, state of refugees and IDPs. She analyzed interaction of Eastern and Western literature in the sample of scientific heritage of well-known scientist of Azerbaijan in Oriental Studies Aida Imanguliyeva.
G.Hajibeyli talked of integration of Azerbaijan into Europe, cooperation of Azerbaijan with Romania. Addressing the session ‘Participation of woman politicians and NGOs in the new international context’ she informed about the role of woman politicians, reforms and works towards assurance of Azeri women’s rights, noble and active actions and numerous humanitarians initiatives of Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP.
In his speech ‘Conforming and non-conforming points in Eastern and Western cultures’, Fazil Mustafa stressed the intercultural dialogue serves peace, analyzed dangerous aspects of cultural restriction.
The rapporteurs provided detailed information on Azerbaijan, its history, realities, problems and successes. The lectures were welcomed by the participants.
The Conference agreed to hold the next international conference in Baku next May.
The event was covered by Romanian mass media.
