From July 8th through 11th, a delegation headed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, will visit Azerbaijan, News.az reports.

The visit will include meetings between the Secretary of State of the Holy See and official representatives of Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of religious communities.

The relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See, based on mutual respect, have come a long way in terms of development. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See. In 2021, Azerbaijan established an embassy to the Holy See, providing a new impetus for further strengthening and expanding cooperation and friendly ties between the two sides.

The political dialogue between Azerbaijan and the Holy See is at a high level. Official visits by President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva to the Vatican, as well as Pope Francis' visit to Azerbaijan, contribute to further deepening this dialogue.

Productive cooperation relations have also been established between the Holy See and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The restoration of several historical monuments of global significance in the Vatican by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, initiated by First Vice President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, is an important contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage. These projects, along with the preservation of global cultural, historical, and religious heritage, once again confirm Azerbaijan's role in the development of intercultural and interreligious relations.

In addition to the defined areas of cooperation, the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Roman Catholic religious community envisions activities aimed at the ethnocultural development of the people living in Azerbaijan. The undertaken work represents Azerbaijan's contribution to the dialogue between civilizations and religions, as well as the promotion of tolerance in the world.