Baku, December 6, AZERTAC

Young leaders of the Jewish community of the USA studying in Israel and around 50 students from US universities in the states of Michigan, Harvard, Illinois, California and Maryland have visited Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.

The delegation was informed of the activity of the centre, including its eight branches operating in the world, as well as of tolerance traditions and multiculturalism values in Azerbaijan. The guests learned that around 16,000 Jews live in Azerbaijan today.

Chief of the Israel branch of Baku International Multiculturalism Centre (BIMC) Arye Gut emphasized that today Azerbaijan is a beacon of progress and development in the Islamic world, a model of inter-civilizations and inter-religion dialogue. He also noted that despite being a predominantly Muslim country, Azerbaijan is home to people of various creeds and ethnicities. He also hailed the Azerbaijani leadership`s attention to the Jewish community in the country. He mentioned that Krasnaya Sloboda (Red village), where mountain Jews have lived for many centuries, is a unique place and source of pride of Azerbaijan.

Gut said Krasnaya Sloboda is a product of close cooperation and partnership between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Azerbaijan.

The delegation also received information of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.