The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board (CMB), Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, answered the questions of AZERTAC’s special correspondent within the framework of his visit to the Vatican. The Sheikh of All Caucasus spoke in his interview about Azerbaijan-Italy and Azerbaijan-Holy See relations, the importance of the projects carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the Vatican and Rome, and the issues discussed in the meetings held during the visit. AZERTAC presents the interview.
– Sheikh, what can you say about Azerbaijan-Italy relations, which have currently risen to the level of strategic partnership?
– Relations with Italy, as well as with the Holy See, are of great importance to our country. Because Azerbaijan is a very young state, independent for 30-40 years. It needs friends, good people, and strong interstate relations. One of the best among these friends is exactly Italy. Italy has always been by our country's side and supported it. During these years, we have witnessed that Italy understood the realities of Azerbaijan and did a lot to convey them to the world community.In particular, the friendly relations between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, as well as the ties between our state institutions, have developed to a very high degree. Our President's policy is to establish friendly, brotherly relations with neighboring states, expand cooperation with them in all areas in the future, and implement joint projects.
I had a meeting with the President of Italy at his request when he first visited Baku. This also shows that the relations are at a high level spiritually. We must strive for the continuous development of these relations.
Economic relations between Azerbaijan and Italy continue at a very high level. Italy is the main buyer of Azerbaijani oil in Europe. Our country's natural gas is transported to Italy via a pipeline, and at the same time, it is delivered to other states of the Old Continent through the same pipeline. Although there were some forces that opposed this project (ed. TAP pipeline) at one time, Italy firmly stood by this project, accepted it, and today we see its benefit.
We also have a closeness with Italy in the cultural field. Our customs, manner of speaking, and even our cuisine resemble each other to a certain extent. This may also have historical roots.

– How do you evaluate the development of relations between our country and the Holy See in recent years?

– Our country’s relations with the Holy See began during the presidency of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev. The National Leader held important meetings in the Vatican during his visit to Italy in 1997. Pope John Paul II visited Azerbaijan in 2002 at the invitation of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev. The construction of the first Catholic Church in Azerbaijan was agreed upon during that visit of John Paul II, and Great Leader Heydar Aliyev donated the land for the church's construction.
Pope Francis visited our country in 2016 at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev. Within the framework of Francis’s visit to Baku, for the first time in history, the head of the Catholic Church entered a Muslim mosque and met with representatives of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities at the Heydar Mosque. In his speech at that meeting, he stated that he had visited many countries, and Azerbaijan was the only state where multiculturalism had developed to such a high level.
The visits and meetings of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to the Holy See once again demonstrate the interstate connection and the level of bilateral relations. The participation of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva in the opening ceremony of the restoration project of the Holy Commodilla Catacombs, supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, during her official visit to the Vatican last month, is a clear example of Azerbaijan’s great respect for all religions as a multicultural state.
At the same time, the visits of the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and other high-level representatives to our country, the functioning of Azerbaijan’s embassy in the Vatican, and my invitation and participation in important events are also indicators of the continuous development of bilateral relations.
In the future, it is planned to organize interreligious dialogue conferences in the Vatican. Also, next year, Azerbaijan will host a conference dedicated to inter-Islamic dialogue and the fight against Islamophobia, co-organized by the Caucasus Muslims Board, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. The participation and speeches of religious leaders from various countries of the world, including the Vatican, are planned at the conference.
– The Heydar Aliyev Foundation makes a significant contribution to the preservation of the world cultural heritage by actively financing large-scale restoration works in the Vatican. Would you share your thoughts on this?
– The projects of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, initiated by the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, aimed at protecting historical, cultural, and religious heritage, are not limited by the borders of our country. For years, important historical religious monuments have been restored in the Vatican and Rome with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The efforts of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and personally the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, in preserving valuable works for humanity and maintaining them for future generations are highly appreciated. These projects are of particular importance in the development of Azerbaijan-Vatican relations. This cooperation makes a significant contribution to the platform between religions and cultures, and is of great importance for Azerbaijan’s activities in this field.
The implemented projects and our country's efforts in this direction demonstrate the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s contributions to universal values to the whole world. At the same time, these projects also show the importance our country attaches to the monuments and holy places of various religions. All this strengthens Azerbaijan’s position and place in the world as a country committed to and promoting multicultural values, as well as its role in establishing interreligious dialogue. The restoration of historical, religious, and cultural monuments of world importance by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is also important for the overall promotion of our country and its worthy representation in the world.

– During your visit to the Vatican and Rome, you had meetings with Pope Leo and other high-ranking representatives of the Holy See, and you participated in important events. What issues were discussed in these meetings?
– Within the framework of the visit, I met with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV. I have held meetings with all Roman Popes after John Paul II, and this was my first meeting with Pope Leo. I was satisfied with the meeting, and I conveyed the greetings of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to the Roman Pope. I spoke to him about multiculturalism in Azerbaijan, the attitude towards religions, especially the Catholic Church, and the attitude of our country, as well as the head of our state, towards the Holy See. At the same time, I emphasized the importance of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s activities in the Vatican and informed him about the construction of a second Catholic Church in our country. I stated that it would be a great honor to see Pope Leo XIV in Azerbaijan. The Roman Pope, in turn, said that he looked favorably upon visiting our country.
I also held a meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, emphasized the relations developing at a high level between Azerbaijan and the Vatican, and noted the exemplary nature of these relations. At the same time, we had a meeting with Cardinal George Jacob Kuvakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.
Furthermore, I participated as an honorary guest in an international event held in front of the "Triumphal Arch" near the Colosseum, considered a symbol of Rome, the capital of Italy, which was attended by religious leaders from various countries of the world. I attended the ceremony held in the Vatican with the participation of Pope Leo on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the document "Nostra Aetate".
I also visited the embassies of our country to the Holy See and Italy and gave blessings during the visit, and met with the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar religious institution of Egypt, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, who was visiting this country.
Overall, all my meetings and the events I attended were fruitful. I spoke about Azerbaijan’s policy of tolerance and multiculturalism, and stated that our country ensures the peaceful coexistence of various ethnic and religious groups in an atmosphere of mutual respect by preserving religious and cultural diversity. I can proudly say that the importance Azerbaijan attaches to interreligious and inter-civilizational dialogue is welcomed beyond the borders of our country with satisfaction.
Azerbaijan today stands in a central position on a global scale, serving as an example for the world's states in terms of political, economic, religious tolerance, and multicultural lifestyle. This, of course, is an indicator of the state's attitude towards religion. Azerbaijan is currently shown as an example worldwide precisely because of the conditions created by President Ilham Aliyev.
At the same time, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s implementation of projects aimed at preserving cultural heritage in the Vatican is appreciated, and it is stated that this makes a significant contribution to the development of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue. Azerbaijan is also a very beautiful example for the entire Islamic world in terms of inter-sectarian unity, inter-religious harmony, and accord.
It should be noted that Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade also gave interviews to Italy's "Agenzia Nova" portal and "Kalima" interreligious dialogue magazine during the visit.