Today, the meeting of the Committee of Public Unions and Religious Institutions of the Milli Majlis on "State-Religion Relations in Azerbaijan: Real Situation and Prospects" was held.

According to APA, the chairman of the committee who opened the meeting, Fazail Ibrahimli, said that during the USSR, religion was compared to opium for the people.

He said that after Azerbaijan gained independence, great successes were achieved in state-religion relations.

According to him, the law on "Freedom of Religion" envisages the smooth development and freedom of all religions.

Mubariz Gurbanli, the chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, said that there is no atheistic state that denies existing religions in the world.

"Until now, only Anwar Khoja declared Albania an atheist state, this is no longer the case."

Speaking about the history of religion in Azerbaijan, Mubariz Gurbanli noted that during the period when Azerbaijan gained independence and there were about a million refugees and internally displaced persons, various religious trends tried to gain a place under the name of humanitarian aid:

"In 1992, the law on "Freedom of Religious Beliefs" was adopted. But this law did not solve the problems, a large number of personnel were needed."

Speaking about the religious communities operating in Azerbaijan, the chairman of the State Committee emphasized that the model of state-religion relations in Azerbaijan is justified.

Deputy Jeyhun Mammadov spoke about state-religion relations in Azerbaijan and emphasized that state-religion relations differ in a positive sense.

Fuad Nurullayev, Deputy Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Administration, spoke about state-religion relations in Azerbaijan and the activities of the Caucasian Muslims Administration:

"President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev declared that our lands will be liberated, our mosques will be restored, and new mosques will be built.

I never forgot these words.

We are witnessing this today."

Fazail Ibrahimli pointed out that education at the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology is organized at a high level.

Agil Shirinov, rector of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology, noted that education at the Institute is free, students are also given food allowances:

"Education in two majors is continued at the undergraduate level.

This includes Islamic Studies and Religious Studies.

Religions such as Judaism and Christianity are taught in religious studies.

On the other hand, we train personnel from two sects of Islam.

These people are trained at the supra-sectarian level, last year was the first release.

There are 5 majors in the master's degree, and it is planned to increase the number of majors in the future.

The Azerbaijan Institute of Theology is surrounded by comprehensive care by the state, we will see the benefits of the establishment of this Institute in our religious life in the near future."

Stating that national leader Heydar Aliyev has done great work in the field of development of religion-state relations, multiculturalism, and tolerance, Aleksey Nikoronov, secretary-archimandrite of the religious institution of the Baku and Azerbaijan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, said that not only Azerbaijanis, who are the only titular people in Azerbaijan, but all peoples feel safe.

Milikh Yevdayev, chairman of the religious community of Mountain Jews of Baku city, demonstrated to the world what we are capable of during the 44-day victory: "As Heydar Aliyev said, tolerance is a high manifestation of Azerbaijani culture."

The event continued with discussions.