🇦🇿🇬🇪🤩❌🇷🇺 — Russian State Media claims that a 'Russophobic conference' was organized in Azerbaijan, with presence of activists from various countries
➡️ The conference "Cultural and Ethnic Diversity: Lessons of History, Modern Challenges" was organized in the city Shusha by the "Center for Cultural and Ethnic Diversity".
➡️ The event was attended by what Russian State Media called as 'Russophobic activists' from 10 countries, Azerbaijan, the USA, France, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Turkey, and Georgia, with the following demands being placed for Russia:
Stop sending representatives and individuals of non-Russian (Slavic) peoples (Circassians, Lezgins, Avars, Tatars, Kumyks, Chechens, Sakha (Yakuts), Buryats, and others) to the front
Recognize the genocide of the Circassian, Tatar and other peoples by the Russian Empire and Soviet Union
Put an end to chauvinism and xenophobia in Russian Federation
During the opening of the conference, it was stated that Azeris in Russia are "systematically oppressed on ethnic and religious grounds".
Meanwhile, per the conference's own statements, two panel discussions were held during the event, focusing on the preservation of cultural and ethnic diversity, the protection of indigenous peoples' rights and the consequences of Russo-Armenian colonialism
In statement, the Conference stated:
"We, the civil society representatives and researchers representing various countries, as participants of the international conference entitled 'Cultural and Ethnic Diversity: Lessons from History and Contemporary Challenges', in line with the outcomes of the Shusha discussions, declare the following:
- Cultural and ethnic diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism must be a national asset for every state. No nation should be humiliated, discriminated, or persecuted based on its ethnic and religious affiliation. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, international obligations on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, and UNESCO's principles on the protection of cultural diversity must become effective tools for protecting the fundamental rights of peoples who have been expelled from their historical lands, subjected to mass massacres, genocides, and deportations, and faced with the threat of losing their historical and cultural heritage and language. Modern forms of colonialism, and actions bringing tragedy, slavery, and suffering to peoples, must be prevented. The ethnic and religious affiliation of peoples must not be considered a crime, nor should it lead to collective punishment;
- The national dignity and pride of peoples must be taken into account, the principles of humanism must be taken as a guide, and confrontation and clashes must be replaced by dialogue, cooperation, and an environment of trust;
- The forced deployment of ethnic minorities in Russia - Circassians, Lezgins, Avars, Tatars, Kumyks, Chechens, Sakhas, Buryats, and other non-Russian peoples - to the Ukrainian front through persecution, intimidation, and imprisonment must be stopped. Russia must learn lessons from history, recognize the genocides against Circassians and other peoples, cease the glorification of those who shed their blood, and ensure that archival materials on related historical topics are accessible. Chauvinism and xenophobic rhetoric in Russia, as well as the attacks and persecution against non-Russians by "Skinhead" gangs and their various manifestations emerging under new names and guises at their own discretion, must be stopped;
- Azerbaijan's exemplary model in preserving ethnic and cultural diversity, and in promoting interfaith, intercultural, and inter-civilizational harmony and dialogue, must be commended. Azerbaijan's historic Shusha Victory should serve as a model and a symbol of the restoration of historical justice, which colonized peoples need the most."
