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Russia, Azerbaijan focus on cooperation in humanities area

Russia and Azerbaijan attach serious significance to cooperation in the area of the humanities, Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin said on Monday

BAKU, October 10 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia and Azerbaijan attach serious significance to cooperation in the area of the humanities, Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin said on Monday, addressing the international humanitarian forum “The 21st Century: Hopes and Challenges.”

“In their relation, Russia and Azerbaijan have always pad great attention to cooperation in the area of the humanities. Azerbaijan is our reliable and old partner. In cooperation with Azerbaijan, we have implemented dozens of joint projects in the areas of education, science and culture,” Naryshkin said.

In his words, it is symbolic that the Baku forum, which has brought together delegates from CIS countries, is being held in the year marked in the Commonwealth of Independent State as the Year of Historical and Cultural Heritage.

According to Naryshkin, the subjects that will be in the focus of the forum “are a fundamental basis for the entire humankind.” He said he was confidents that the significance of the humanitarian policy is to augment. “Developing new technologies we cannot do without a clear understanding of how they impact the system of values and the mere existence of the humankind, how they change the lifestyle and influence social, spiritual and religious needs,” the Kremlin chief of staff stressed.

In his words, in the recent years the world community has been paying special attention to education and culture. These areas are seen not merely as key factor of upbringing, of ensuring the rights and freedoms of a human being, but also as a major precondition of sustainable development of states.

“All this makes us be utterly responsible while forging humanitarian strategies, take into account their economic and social aspects,” Naryshkin noted. “The modern world is very much diverse, highly complex and flexible and all its problems are to be comprehended in order to look at the reality in its fullness, to encourage development, and to avoid narrow-minded approaches.”

He also expressed hope that the forum will be widely discussed not only in academic circles but by general public.

Naryshkin read out an address from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. According to the Kremlin chief of staff, a collection of speeches by the Russian Azerbaijan presidents on humanitarian subjects “Humanitarian Challenges of the 21st Century” has been put out to coincide with the Baku forum. “This publication will be interesting both to politicians and political scientists, to all those who work in the areas of culture, science and education, and to general public as well, Naryshkin said.

Before the forum, Naryshkin laid wreaths to the tomb of Azerbaijani former leader Heidar Aliyev, to the Alley of Honour, and to the Monument of Fallen Heroes in Baku.