President Ilham Aliyev Addresses Participants of the 20th Session of the Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States in Baku

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Baku.

According to EDnews, the address was delivered by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova.

The message reads:

"Dear participants,

I warmly welcome you to the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Welcome to Azerbaijan!

This esteemed platform, which brings together the legislative bodies of brotherly countries, holds special significance as one of the key mechanisms for strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation, promoting ties in political, economic, social, and humanitarian fields, and reinforcing Islamic solidarity.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The OIC was among the first international organizations Azerbaijan joined after restoring its independence. We can proudly state that throughout these years, our country has contributed to strengthening Islamic solidarity, played an active and responsible role within the OIC, remained committed to its goals and principles, and actively participated in enhancing its international standing. Azerbaijan has also established multifaceted cooperation based on strong friendship and brotherhood with member states on a bilateral level.

For our part, we have always felt the OIC’s consistent support. During Armenia’s nearly 30-year aggression against Azerbaijan and in the post-war period, the OIC demonstrated a firm position by adopting resolutions and statements strongly condemning the occupation, supporting Azerbaijan’s just cause, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and welcoming reconstruction efforts in our liberated territories. I would particularly like to highlight the activities of the OIC Contact Group on Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan. We highly appreciate this support from our brotherly countries.

Unfortunately, during the occupation, our cities and villages were subjected to urbicide and culturicide by Armenia. Mosques and centuries-old monuments of Islamic architecture of universal significance were deliberately destroyed and looted. Of the 67 mosques, 65 were completely destroyed, while the remaining two suffered severe damage. The use of these sacred sites as livestock shelters and the keeping of animals considered forbidden in Islam was an insult not only to Azerbaijanis but to Muslims around the world. Missions organized by ICESCO and the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission witnessed these acts of vandalism firsthand during visits to our liberated territories.

Today, as part of extensive reconstruction efforts in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, destroyed religious sites are being restored in accordance with their historical appearance, new mosques are being built, and the call to prayer is once again being heard from minarets after many years.

These crimes against Islamic cultural heritage on our lands are undoubtedly a clear manifestation of Islamophobia. Today, hatred against Muslims, attacks on Islamic cultural heritage, and insults to Islamic values have become increasingly widespread. The burning of the Holy Quran and the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) can never be justified by freedom of expression and are completely unacceptable. Islamophobia is not merely intolerance toward Muslims; it is a dangerous trend that threatens mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. It is regrettable that certain political circles in the West, as well as institutions such as the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, seek to promote anti-Islamic sentiment by equating Islam with extremism and terrorism, creating biased perceptions of our religion and portraying it as a source of threat.

To increase international attention to combating Islamophobia, Azerbaijan regularly hosts international conferences dedicated to this issue. At a time when Islamophobia is spreading at an alarming rate, Azerbaijan’s role as host of these conferences is of great importance in promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue and eliminating stereotypes about Islam.

Islamic values, which are an integral part of our national and spiritual heritage and serve as a moral guide for billions of people around the world, have always been highly valued in Azerbaijan.

We continue to put forward various initiatives promoting the principles of solidarity and mutual respect in Islam and regularly host events organized by the OIC and its institutions. The cities of Baku, Nakhchivan, and Shusha, which embody the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Islamic civilization, have been named Capitals of Islamic Culture in different years. In 2017, Azerbaijan declared the Year of Islamic Solidarity and hosted the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku with the participation of 54 countries.

Just a few days ago, Baku successfully hosted the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group dedicated to regional integration for sustainable prosperity in Muslim countries.

In 2027, Azerbaijan will host the 16th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference and assume the Chairmanship of the OIC. During our chairmanship, we will spare no effort to promote the common interests of member states, deepen cooperation within the organization, strengthen Islamic solidarity, and mobilize joint efforts to transform it into a greater force.

Dear participants,

The theme of the current session, ‘Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development in OIC Member States through Parliamentary Cooperation,’ reflects the determination of member countries to jointly find solutions to shared challenges for the progress and prosperity of our nations.

I am confident that the valuable initiatives put forward during this session will contribute to the well-being of our brotherly peoples and create new opportunities for cooperation among our countries.

I extend my best wishes to you and wish every success to the work of the session."