Every year on May 21, World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is celebrated. This day was established by the UN General Assembly in December 2002 and was first celebrated on May 21, 2003.

Currently, world culture is threatened by many different factors - in one case, excessive protection of national identity threatens the cultures of various minorities, in another case, religion puts pressure on culture, and in a third case, languages are disappearing. Under the influence of globalization, in almost all countries of the world, traditions are lost, and weak cultures are marginalized, and sometimes even disappear altogether. Taking into account all these facts and understanding their importance necessitated the adoption of the UNESCO Declaration on “Diversity of Cultures” in 2001. To implement this declaration, an Action Plan was adopted, consisting of twenty main directions. The Declaration offers new understanding of the relationship between diversity, dialogue and development. By endorsing the organization's Declaration, UNESCO Member States committed themselves to recognizing, protecting and actively promoting the values associated with cultural diversity at local, national and international levels.

In 2002, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, replacing the World Day for Cultural Development. In 2003, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: Holidays, Traditions, Customs and Languages.

The main purpose of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is to enable people to deeply understand the importance and value of cultural diversity and learn to develop cooperation among the peoples of the world. Activities dedicated to this day are aimed at raising global awareness of the importance of intercultural dialogue. The purpose of the events is to form a global community of people striving to maintain diversity in everyday life, fight stereotypes, improve mutual understanding and cooperation between representatives of different peoples and cultures.

Azerbaijan has since ancient times been known as the homeland of diverse peoples and cultures. This land served as some kind of bridge between Eastern culture, on the one hand, and the world, European culture – on the other hand. In Azerbaijan, during all periods of history with a diverse national and ethnic structure there are real sources of this diversity. Relationship of tens of religious and ethnic communities living in Azerbaijan has caused unity of a variety of their cultures – their folklore, dialects, customs, life, system of religion, etc.

After Azerbaijan gained its state independence, unlike many countries of the region, the culture of the ethnic minorities and ethnic groups living here is protected and develops as a component of culture of the country.

At present, representatives of tens of ethnic minorities live in Azerbaijan. They use their languages, carefully preserve objects of the material-spiritual values, and create ethnic-cultural associations, societies. Such organizations are, for example, the Talysh Cultural Center, the Kurdish Cultural Center (Ronai), the Lezgin Cultural Center (Samur), the Center of Studying of the Lezgin Mythology, the Tsakhur Cultural Center, the Avar Society named after Sheikh Shamil, the Cultural Center of Udis “Orayin”, the Tat Cultural Center “Azeri”, the Budug Cultural Center, the Cultural Center of the Azerbaijani Slavs, the Society of the Russian Community, the Khynalyg Cultural Center, the Community of the Azerbaijani Tats, the Society of the Azerbaijani Georgians, the Society of the Azerbaijani Ukrainians, the Azerbaijani Community of the European Jews, the National-Cultural Society of Germans, the Society of the Azerbaijani Jews, the “Iudaika” International Association, the Society “Veten” of Meskhetian Turks.

The government of Azerbaijan has repeatedly provided financial aid to the structures of ethnic minorities. Besides, they do not pay for rent of the occupied buildings and premises. The state in various forms renders protection to them.

At the state level, meetings are held with the national and cultural societies. During such meetings, specific problems connected with ethnic minorities are quickly solved. Besides, regularly are held scientific and practical conferences.

The list of constructions relating to the historical past of citizens of the Azerbaijan Republic irrespective of their national identity, include the “historical and cultural monuments” that are protected by the state and restored.

The political leadership of Azerbaijan carries out important work on development of all nations and peoples living in our country. In the period of leadership of the country by the national leader Heydar Aliyev, it was rendered special attention to the culture of ethnic minorities. Now, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev successfully continues these activities.

In the Second Karabakh War, which lasted for 44 days in 2020, representatives of various nationalities living in our republic demonstrated unity in fighting for the liberation of our lands under Armenian occupation. This showed that the indivisible Azerbaijan is sacred and native to all citizens of the country, regardless of their religion and language. The observance of religious holidays and rituals of all peoples, regardless of their national affiliation, is also an indication of the attention paid to multicultural values in our country. The restoration of religious monuments destroyed and desecrated by Armenians in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, as well as the repair of churches belonging to Albanian and Udi peoples, is a manifestation of the humanism stemming from the multicultural policy of Azerbaijan.

In our country, multiculturalism has already turned into a lifestyle which doesn’t have alternative. The policy of multiculturalism which is carried out now in Azerbaijan is a bright example of commitment of our state to the principles of tolerance.

Recommended literature:

1. Kazımi, Gülçin Əliabbas qızı. Özünəməxsusluq və mədəniyyətlərarası münasibətlər mədəni müxtəliflik kontekstində: (monoqrafiya) /G. Kazımi ; elmi red. R. H. Abdullayeva ; [ön söz N. Abbasov] ; AMEA. - Bakı: ADMİU, 2020. - 190s.
2. Paşayeva, Məhəbbət Tofiq qızı. Azərbaycan multikulturalizminin tarixi kökləri: [monoqrafiya] /M. Paşayeva ; elmi red. V. Həsənov ; Azərb. Resp. Təhsil Nazirliyi, Azərb. Dövlət İqt. Un-ti. - Bakı: İqtisad Universiteti, 2021. - 256 s.
3. Niftiyev, Niyaz Məmmədəli oğlu. Azərbaycanda birgəyaşayış və multikulturalizm / N. M. Niftiyev ; elmi red. I. Abbasov ; ön sözün müəl. E. X. Nəsirov ; Bakı Beynalxalq Multikulturalizm Mərkəzi. - Bakı : n. y., 2015. - 408 s.
4. Cultural diversity in cross-cultural settings: a global approach /edited T. Mammadova. - Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021. - 274 p.