According to eminent educationist Shafag Mehraliyeva, Azerbaijan is the first Muslim democracy in the world. In an exclusive interview, Ms. Mehraliyeva, who represents the ADA University of Azerbaijan, a top liberal arts university in the South Caucasus, emphasized the ancient cultural ties between Azerbaijan and India, which are visible in the fire temples close to Baku, the country’s capital, and called for stronger ties in the fields of education and culture.
According to Ms. Mehraliyeva, Azerbaijan has a long history of secularism and liberal ideals that have given the country a distinctive identity and made it welcoming for tourists and students from all cultural backgrounds.
According to Ms. Mehraliyeva, ADA University guarantees a liberal environment and is situated in a crucial strategic region that has long been a witness to the interactions of major powers.
Since Ukraine’s educational infrastructure has been severely damaged due to the conflict with Russia, interest in Azerbaijan’s educational institutions has increased. Under the auspices of Operation Ganga, the Indian government evacuated at least 20,000 Indian students who were enrolled in universities in Ukraine. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been at odds over Nagorno-Karabakh for three decades as well.
In 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia engaged in a brief fight aided by Turkish attack drones, following which the majority of Nagorno-Karabakh was annexed by Azerbaijan. Since then, low-intensity combat has been reported from the area despite Russia-mediated negotiations between the two parties.
According to Ms. Mehraliyeva, educational and cultural linkages may be extremely important in bringing nations together, and Azerbaijan and India have cultural ties that are far too strong to be overlooked. She made reference to the Soviet period when Hollywood movies were outlawed in the Soviet countries and the export of Bollywood films to Azerbaijan.
Additionally, Ms. Mehraliyeva noted that women have been empowered in Azerbaijan for more than a century and that topics like the hijab are not discussed in public.
News Mania Desk
