Multicultural summer school due in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan hosts the International Summer School entitled "Multiculturalism as lifestyle in Azerbaijan: Learn, Explore, Share".

The project was jointly organized by Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, "Knowledge" Foundation under the Azerbaijani President and Baku Slavic University.

The summer school, which is to be attended by the local and foreign students who completed the interdisciplinary course "Azerbaijani multiculturalism" during the spring semester of the current year, as well as influential figures of science, will be held from July 21 to August 1.

The summer school has organized on the idea and the initiative of the service of the State Counselor on Multiculturalism, Interethnic and Religious Affairs. It will also involve Azerbaijani and European scientists in addition to the students from eight foreign and seven local universities.

Local and foreign scientist will deliver lectures to the students during the summer school, which will involve totally 70 students of Belarusian State Linguistic University, Charles University and Masaryk University of the Czech Republic, Vilnius State University of Educational Sciences and Vytautas Magnus University, Tbilisi State University, the Ural Federal University and the Institute of Russian Language in Russia, University of Naples and University of La Sapienza, Sofia University St. KlimentOhridski, Ardahan University and Sakarya University of Turkey, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, Baku State University, Azerbaijan State Economic University, Azerbaijan Technical University, Lankaran State University, Nakhchivan State University, Ganja State University, Baku Higher Oil School.

The participants of the summer school will gather in Baku on July 21 and 22. The first two days of the program include familiarization with the capital city, the meeting of participants with State Counselor on Multiculturalism, Interethnic and Religious Affairs, academician Kamal Abdullayev, and the leaderships of Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, "Knowledge" Foundation and Baku Slavic University.

Participants of the Summer School will leave for education and recreation center in Nabran on July 23. During the period until August 30, the students will visit Guba, Gusar and Khachmaz and take part in various activities in these regions.

The events will also be attended by the representatives of local authorities, residents and young people of the region. During the walks organized in these regions, students will be able to see firsthand multicultural spirit of Azerbaijan.

High level experts from Germany, Israel, Russia and Azerbaijan will give lectures and hold discussions, which will be instrumental in enhancing knowledge and experience of the participants.

The main target of the international summer school is to give students an opportunity to add practical experience to their theoretical knowledge already gained from the course "Azerbaijani multiculturalism". Foreign students will complete their theoretical knowledge they gained during the semester with practical observations.

The summer school has very rich program. The participants will enjoy a nice stay, have exciting lectures, intellectual discussions and meet new friends during this period.

The students were divided into different groups. A dance competition, as well as sports and intellectual competitions will be held among these groups. The winners will receive special prizes.

The organizers will try their best so the foreign students gain deeper and more objective knowledge about Azerbaijan and are able to observe the role of multiculturalism in the life of Azerbaijanis.

In order to acquaint students with the multicultural situation in Azerbaijan, they will be informed about the Azerbaijani culture, art, history, as well as the historical traditions of tolerance and their roots, and historical realities of the day. In addition, all kinds of excursions will be conducted to the religious institutions of various peoples.

After completion of the summer school, Baku International Multiculturalism Centre will continue staying in touch with these students. Possibly, after the completion of the school, they will start scientific researches on Azerbaijan, considering that the majority of students specialize in international relations, history, ethnography, geography and so on, it will be very interesting for them to observe the multicultural environment in Azerbaijan, the country's national minorities, culture, lifestyle as well as the rights and freedoms provided by the government.

In their theses and dissertations, they may prefer issues they have seen in Azerbaijan. The relations of these students with Azerbaijan will become more active, their interest increase, the country will become home for them and hopefully their interest to Azerbaijan will turn to love to the country.