Guest Commentary: Azerbaijan, Wyoming share same values

Among the official greetings extended to our Los Angeles-based Consulate General on the occasion of Azerbaijan's Republic Day in late May this year the one that stood out was by Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal.

As Azerbaijanis celebrated the 90 anniversary of establishing the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim world in 1918, Mr. Freudenthal's message that underscored values common for people in Wyoming and in Azerbaijan resonated strongly with my nation's aspirations.

While the fact that both Azerbaijan and Wyoming are rich in natural beauty may not surprising, other similarities such as pioneering in granting equal voting rights to men and women alike in their respective parts of the world are less expected. Yet, Wyoming was the first American state, where women could vote (I have learned this from the Governor), and Azerbaijan granted such rights already in 1918 ahead of many other nations. These similarities reflect a deeper shared recognition of the responsibility to uphold values universal to all people regardless of their religion and ethnicity.

This is exemplified in Azerbaijan's strong partnership with the United States, which includes presence of Azerbaijani troops alongside with Americans in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Azerbaijan as well as America's other regional allies, including Georgia and Turkey, are working with the United States to revitalize the historic Silk Road and develop it once again into a major conduit of progress and exchange of ideas in Eurasia.

Mr. Freudenthal rightly points our in his letter that setting and achieving such objectives requires forward-thinking leadership. The importance of this was demonstrated this month at a landmark event in Azerbaijan. On June 10-11, leaders from around the world gathered in the capital city of Baku to discuss expanding the role of women in cross-cultural dialogue at the forum hosted by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation jointly with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). This effort was initiated by Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, who concurrently serves as the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation as well as Goodwill Ambassador for both UNESCO and ISESCO.

The world would clearly benefit from greater political participation by women. For various reasons rooted in history and development, this is especially true for the nations, where Muslims are in majority. Moving towards universal human values is crucial for this and can only be achieved by crossing cultural divides, which, unfortunately, exist in so many societies.

At the event, various participants spoke of the need for more intensive dialogue among cultures and civilizations. Ms. Aliyeva herself highlighted Azerbaijan's historic experience of diversity, tolerance and equality. Of course, this was an opening discussion of rather complex issues. Much more needs to be done to define the scope of discussion and to focus on potential solutions.

Perhaps, it should come as no surprise that this much-needed conversation was once again initiated in Azerbaijan.

After all, as Mr. Freudenthal educated me recently, among the things Azerbaijan and Wyoming share is the all-important pioneering spirit.

Elin Suleymanov is Azerbaijan's first Consul General to Los Angeles and 13 Western States, including the State of Wyoming. For more information on the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles please visit www.azconsulatela.org.

/The WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE/