Speakers at the event included Dr. Rachel Yadid, Director of the Yemenite Heritage Center Hananiah Koresh, former Israeli Ambassador to the UN and Knesset member Danny Danon, Mayor of Rehovot Rahamim Malul, Head of the Israeli Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Jamila Talibzade, political scientist Dr. Dana Brant, Rabbi Shmuel Simantov and Dr. Drora Arusi. Emphasizing the importance of the event in terms of strengthening ties between our countries, the speakers talked with great love and admiration about the policy of multiculturalism and tolerance constantly pursued in Azerbaijan, about the opportunities for living and working in an environment of friendship, kindness and equality for all people regardless of religion and nationality, including Jewish people, created in this unique country, pointing out that during the war against the Armenian occupiers, representatives of all ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan defended their homeland together. They also touched upon the country’s rich tourism opportunities.
Recalling that the State Committee on Work with Diaspora together with ADA University took part in the roundtables on “Post-Conflict Development in South Caucasus” held in Baku, Dana Brant shared her experience and views of our country.
Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Elshad Aliyev welcomed the participants via video link. He spoke in detail about the centuries-old history of Azerbaijani Jews and highlighted projects successfully implemented jointly with our diaspora in Israel.
Chairman of the New York branch of the World Sephardi Federation Jason Guberman and American journalist, national security analyst and lawyer Irina Tsukerman emphasized in their video addresses that in Azerbaijan, a Muslim country, people of all religious denominations are free to live and develop and that many countries should adopt the Azerbaijani model.
The entertainment part of the event included performances by Rehovot’s Yemenite national dance group led by Osnat Braidman-Sharabi, and a young singer from the Azerbaijani community, Leyla Veliyeva. Leyla Veliyeva moved the audience by performing songs by Azerbaijani composers such as “Azerbaijan”, “Ana” and others.
