Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, who is on a visit to the Republic of Angola, took part on July 16–17 — at the invitation of Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, and Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia — in the High-Level Dialogue, the "Alliance of Peace" Summit, organized by the UN Alliance of Civilizations in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Angola within the framework of the initiative "A Call for Peace, the End of Wars and Respect for International Law."

Opening remarks at the Summit were delivered by UN official M.A. Moratinos, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of the Republic of Angola. In their speeches, the Angolan President and the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations made special mention of the participation of the only religious leader at this high-level event — Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board. Speeches were then delivered by Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare of Namibia, Director-General of the African Union Commission Fathallah Sijilmassi, and other officials.

Within the framework of the event, Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade met with the President of Angola. The CMB Chairman conveyed the greetings of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Angolan head of state. The Angolan President, in turn, asked the Sheikh ul-Islam to convey his sincere greetings to our head of state.

Also within the framework of the event, Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade met with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Prime Minister of Namibia, Angolan Foreign Minister Téte António, the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Mayor José María Gorroño of the Spanish city of Gernika, and other figures.

On July 17, at the Opening Ceremony of the Summit's Thematic Session, speeches were delivered by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations; Angolan Foreign Minister T. António; Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board; and Mayor J.M. Gorroño of the Spanish city of Gernika.

In his speech, Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade conveyed the greetings of the Azerbaijani people and our head of state to the event serving the lofty mission of safeguarding peace and respect for the supremacy of international law; welcoming the UN Alliance of Civilizations' initiative "A Call for Peace, the End of Wars and Respect for International Law," he prayed for the success of this important event held in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Angola. Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade gave particularly high praise to the tireless efforts of Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General and esteemed High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, in safeguarding peace in the world, in rescuing millions of human lives from the nightmare of war, and in deepening the atmosphere of trust among civilizations. He asked the Almighty Creator to prosper the efforts of all who stand in solidarity for global peace.

Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade emphasized that one of the sublime truths reflected in the holy books revealed to humanity is that to kill even a single human being created by the Almighty Lord is a crime as grave as destroying all of humanity. The massacres committed on grounds of national, racial, or religious identity, engraved in humanity's memory of blood, are among the greatest and most unforgivable sins against humankind. It is our human duty to honor with reverence the memory of the victims of Gernika, Srebrenica, and other such human tragedies, and to unite our efforts so that such tragedies never occur again on Earth.

Drawing attention to the Khojaly genocide, the CMB Chairman noted: "One of the peoples subjected to the crime of mass slaughter is the Azerbaijani people — a horrific truth that the world community must know and to which it must absolutely give its just assessment. Every year, on February 26, we commemorate the anniversary of the genocide committed in 1992 in the Azerbaijani city of Khojaly by the aggressor neighboring state on the basis of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, in which 613 people were killed, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people."

Underscoring the Azerbaijani state's role in the promotion of peace, Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade stated: "The cooperation of the Azerbaijani state — which possesses a valuable historical experience of building bridges between representatives of different cultures and civilizations and of coexistence, and an exemplary model of tolerance — with the UN Alliance of Civilizations for the sake of universal interests is at the highest level. It is a source of pride for us that His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan — known throughout the world for his ideas and initiatives serving human brotherhood and universal solidarity — has been awarded the 'Gernika Prize for Peace and Reconciliation' for his efforts toward achieving peace and promoting dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia."

The CMB Chairman concluded his speech at the prestigious event with these thoughts: "Today, at a time when wars continue, we must work and pray — grounded in international law — for the triumph of justice in the world, for lasting peace rather than fragile ceasefires, and for the peaceful resolution of the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. So that new Gernikas, Srebrenicas, and Khojalys never come to pass, we religious leaders — thanks to the UN's coordinating role and the initiatives and projects of the Alliance of Civilizations — can make our own contribution to establishing a world that is more secure, more just, and more firmly grounded on deep spiritual pillars. I express my profound gratitude to the Government of Angola and to my esteemed brother Mr. Moratinos for organizing today's important event. I am confident that today's forum will make its worthy contribution to the establishment of peace and tranquility in the world, insha'Allah."

The Thematic Session continued its work on the theme "The Role of Religious and Faith Leaders in Promoting Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence."

For reference: this prestigious event, held for the first time on the African continent, follows the founding meeting held in 2025 in the Spanish city of Guernica on the 88th anniversary of that city's bombing, and the second stage held in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina — a city bearing the deep historical scars of war. The meeting in Luanda, Angola, thus constitutes a significant continuation of this lofty mission. The forum brought together high-level state and government officials, influential religious leaders, renowned representatives of academic circles, civil society and media representatives, as well as other partners standing in solidarity for global peace.

CMB Press Service

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