The International Forum “Expanding the Role of Women in Cross-Culture Dialogue”
The International Forum “Expanding the Role of Women in Cross-Culture Dialogue” started on June 10 at the Gulustan Palace in Baku.
Over 300 delegates including ISESCO Director General, UNESCO goodwill ambassadors and first ladies of a number of countries are participating in the Forum that has been initiated by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and supported by UNESCO and ISESCO.
President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the Forum.
Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Let me once again welcome all our guests. I am glad to see here everybody who accepted our invitation to discuss the extremely topical issue of dialogue between cultures and civilizations from a female perspective.
Although the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has addressed this subject in the past, this is the first time that such an authoritative and high-level conference has attracted delegates to Baku from almost all continents and civilizations. Thank you for being here with us.
Today humankind faces global threats. Impending ecological disasters and global climate change, the depletion of natural resources, including energy resources, and problems of globalization, health, food and economic wellbeing. Clearly, one cannot speak about dialogue between civilizations without considering the realities of modern development. In speaking of dialogue we must inevitably touch upon such issues as development and underdevelopment, employment and unemployment, and education and literacy.
I think that the challenges of modern world simultaneously help and hinder mutual understanding between nations. Analysis of the causes and origins of the global problem, which now confront humankind, is the focus of attention for scientific, political and social thinking over the world. Certainly, more than one future generation of scientists and public figures will study these issues and seek answers to the questions put to them.
One thing is clear: today we have already dispelled many of the illusions of the past century. History itself and the course of past events have shattered dogmatic theories and slogans. We have found that our formidable technical and technological development and our devotion to progress and harmony have given rise to entirely new threats and challenges hitherto unknown to humanity. These, as we know, include environmental and man-made disasters, global warming, energy security and other problems.
Let us take as our starting-point the world of today – the reality which we face today, without analyzing the reasons for this reality. Let us try to understand what is making it difficult for civilizations, nations and individuals to listen to and understand one another, and how we can help. From this perspective, the first thing I wish to draw your attention to is the fact that we talk about dialogue between cultures and civilizations in different languages. Here, the term “different languages” does not mean foreign languages. Dialogue is talked about by scientists, by politicians, by public figures and by cultural figures. We discuss different political or scientific doctrines relating to dialogue or conflict between civilizations. Each of them is underpinned by a particular point of view, particular political motivation, and by history. But often it is even difficult for experts and professionals, let alone people outside the world of politics, to understand each other with regard to this issue.
Obviously, today everyone, irrespective of their faith or nationality, political allegiance or their level of education, cultural development or prosperity, is affected by this issue to some extent. Whether he wants to or not, each of us asks himself: “Where are we heading? What lies ahead for us?”
The purpose of our conference is to consider this issue from another point of view: the point of view of women, the female perspective. I think that the strength and the uniqueness of this point of view stem from the fact that it can be perceived as being universal, uniting us all and accessible to everyone. The reason is extremely simple. The overriding principle of this point of view, as well as the fundamental motivation of women in life, is love. Love of one`s child, love of one`s neighbors, love of the whole world, and the love of God. Life of women is unimaginable without love. It is this love which can stop hatred, xenophobia, and racial and religious resentment.
I would now like to draw your attention to some statistical data. Just last year in Iraq, nearly 25,000 civilians died in the course of military hostilities. Barely a day goes by without women and children losing their lives in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. In the Khojaly massacre, over one night more than 600 civilians including women, children and elderly people were killed, with more than 1,200 people being injured. According to expert forecasts, unless significant efforts are made, over 150,000 women and children will die in conflicts in the twenty-first century. These are matter-of-fact statistical figures. The most horrible thing is that we have become used to hearing such facts. We have even become accustomed to thinking of them as nothing, as events which do not concern us and are happening to someone else as far away.
I will give you a concrete example. Try to imagine the feelings of a mother who has kissed her child and taken him out into a yard on a neighboring street to play with friends, and who within just five minutes finds herself standing over the lifeless body of her child who has been hit by shrapnel from a mine. I am sure that no one could remain indifferent to such a tragedy.
It is time for us to stop regarding the issue of dialogue between civilizations as an abstract matter. We must realize that the lives of a huge number of people are behind of this problem. Of course, first of all we need to reject the policy of double standards and false stereotypes. It is unacceptable to speak of common mankind civilization as a civilization created by just some chosen peoples.
In society there are always forces at work, which pull us towards commercial values and weaken our inclination towards the values of altruism. At its current stage of development, now more than ever before humankind is in need of new spiritual inspiration.
Throughout its history, as a country located on the Great Silk Road, Azerbaijan has contributed to the creation of atmosphere of the highest tolerance. This has made its mark on both our culture and society, and can still be seen in our society even today. Baku is a unique city. Its Muslim mosque and Fire-Worshipers’ Temple, Catholic church and synagogue, Orthodox church and Protestant church have stood side by side here for many years. By virtue of their geographical proximity alone they continue to show that it is possible for them to co-exist amid a high level of tolerance and the fellowship of the fundamental values of all religions with common human values. These are not merely individual episodes in history. This year we opened a new Catholic Church. Along with the restoration of mosques and churches, which are historic monuments, we continue building new ones.
The Orthodox Church known in Baku as the “Church of the Myrrh-Bearers” was built with money donated by the Azerbaijani oil magnate Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, and was restored a few years ago with money given by another Azerbaijani businessman. Baku has been visited by the Pope John Paul II and the Patriarch of All Russia, Alexei II. At the same time, there are organized meetings of the countries, which are members of Organization of the Islamic Conference. All this confirms a simple truth.
All great religions have one goal, and one motivation. We may call God by different names, pray to him in different languages, and build different buildings devoted to Him, but we do so for one reason. God is one for all of us. And however trite it may sound, the common human values which are enshrined in every religion are also the same. These are the values which aim to unite and reconcile people. In this case it is inadmissible for religion to be used as a tool to stir up conflict and confrontations.
Speaking about the status of women in modern society, it should be noted that every country is following its own development path, and has its own unique characteristics. Today in Azerbaijan we are justifiably proud of the role which women play in our society.
In 1918 the Declaration of Independence of the first parliamentary republic in the East provided the Azerbaijani women the right to vote and to be elected. Having gained access to education at the beginning of the twentieth century, they achieved gender equality in not only secondary, but also higher education.
Today the women are represented in management, in the legal and judicial systems, and actively participate in public and political life of our country. They make up 71% of teachers in comprehensive schools, 61% of doctors and 50% of scientists. The women of Azerbaijan have traveled this road for 90 years. At the same time they also managed to make a worthy contribution into preservation of family values. Thus, Azerbaijan, which unites in itself the values of the East and the West, can serve as an example in gender issues.
We, women, usually face two types of models. It is considered that the woman of the Orient is more tied to the family, whereas the woman of the Occident is striving for the higher position in the society. However, both models do not correspond to the reality. I think that in the course of history both eastern and western women have reached such achievements that could be useful for all of us. If we manage to distance ourselves from those false stereotypes it will be helpful for both Orient and Occident.
There are a big number of women`s organizations in the world. They deal with the solution of many problems, carry out many actions and serve the improvement of the position of women in the society. These organizations have achieved a big success. Feminism today should bear the main burden in organizing the dialogue between the cultures and the civilizations. I call the competent women`s organizations, having a big experience, to be more active in this field.
I take this opportunity, provided to me by this conference, and address personally all first ladies, who have accepted our invitation and come to the Conference.
We know that every first lady is known in her country as the person who pays attention to the science, culture and education. Everybody is aware of the activities of the first ladies in the solution of the social problems. I am sure that all of you implement in your country many projects and make every effort for the realization of various humanitarian initiatives. I think that in case first ladies support the dialogue of civilizations it will result in considerable positive changes and will raise the problem of dialogue to a new level. I hope that the Baku Forum will become a traditional one in the future and may create opportunities for the realization of ideas and goals of all of us in forming a useful dialogue.
There is another urgent problem. Today we sometimes become the object of manipulations and perceive the real developments in such a way as they are presented in news reports. The stereotypes influence our consciousness coming from TV screens and mass media.
I would like to call on all journalists from the tribune of the Conference, especially female journalists. The real events taking place nowadays in the world and the way they are reflected in mass media depend on the position of the journalists, of TV channel or of a concrete political order. Every journalist should realize the consequences of the creation of any negative image in the social consciousness. A cartoon, article or video material insulting the believers irrespective of their faith is a blatant violation of journalistic and human ethics. It conforms to neither the system of human values, nor the journalistic ethics.
Dear friends,
Dear visitors,
The power of women is based on such simple things as the sense of good, love and charity. One cannot underestimate the power of such force. The worthy contribution of this strong factor into the dialogue between the cultures and the civilizations depends on us.
Thank you for your attention.