The 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders has today kicked off in Baku.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the Summit.

Prior to the Summit, a joint photo was taken.

The event started with the recitation of verses from the holy Quran.

President Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the Summit.

An Order by President Ilham Aliyev to award chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade with "Heydar Aliyev" Order was then read out.

President Ilham Aliyev presented “Heydar Aliyev” Order to Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade.

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade addressed the Summit.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia then made a speech at the event and handed Order of St. Most Reverend Seraphim of Sarov of Russian Orthodox Church to Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade.

Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Ilyas Umakhanov read out President Vladimir Putin’s letter to participants of the 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders.

Head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbaş read out Recep Taayyip Erdogan’s letter to the event participants.

Other speakers at the event included Head of Culture and Islamic Communications organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abuzar Ebrahimi Turkaman, First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Arab Republic of Egypt Al-Sayed Mahmoud Al-Sherif, and Adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Rustam Kasimov.

Georgian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Zurab Pataradze read out President Salome Zourabichvili’s letter.

Mufti of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation Salah Mezhiyev read out Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov’s letter.

Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations Malcolm Hoenlein, founding Secretary General of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muaammar, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Amar, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Abdullah Matouq Al-Matouq, head of the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic of the Russian Federation Rashid Temrezov then addressed the Summit.

Vicar of the Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Metropolitan Theodore read out the Patriarch’s letter.

Advisor on Judicial and Religious Affairs at the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Presidential Affairs Ali Bin Al Sayed Abdulrahman Al Hashim, secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims and bureau chief for Islam at the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue Khaled Akasheh, Deputy Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (Rabitat Al-Alam Al-Islami) Abdul Aziz Sarhan then made speeches.

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade reiterated the importance of the Summit and thanked the participants for attending the event.

Held as part of the events organized on the 70th anniversary of Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, the Summit brings together leaders and representatives of more than 70 countries, 25 traditional religions and religious sects from 5 continents, as well as about 500 high-level representatives from around 10 influential international organizations.

The two-day Summit aims to contribute to the development of inter-religious dialogue, promotion and evolution of such human values as mutual understanding and human solidarity. The event will feature discussions on topics as “Azerbaijan’s exemplary role in promoting multiculturalism, tolerance and interreligious solidarity”, “Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade’s contributions to the development of interfaith and inter-civilizational cooperation”, “Religious leaders against terrorism, aggression, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christianophobia.

The Summit will see the adoption of the Baku Declaration.

On April 11, 2019, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an Order to set up an Organizing Committee for the 2nd Baku Summit of World Religious Leaders.