SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, July 6. The disregard for the rights of indigenous peoples leaves a deep historical mark, co-founder and chair of the World Circassian Agency in Lithuania, Fatimat Kardanova said, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
She made the statement during a panel discussion on "Modern forms of colonialism: actions bringing tragedy, slavery and suffering to peoples" held as part of the international conference "Cultural and ethnic diversity: lessons from history, contemporary challenges" in Shusha.
“Ignoring the rights of indigenous peoples and attempts at forced unification leave a deep historical mark, traumatizing all peoples. A striking example of this aspect of the problem is the Circassian issue. Today, more than 90% of Circassians live abroad. According to some statistics, only 10% live at home,” she said.
Kardanova thanked representatives of Azerbaijan’s civil society for creating this important international platform. According to her, the conference can be considered the beginning of a major process.
“Azerbaijan can become a venue for international forums dedicated to the history and national memory of the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus. The Circassians expect Azerbaijan to support the preservation of the Circassian language and culture, which are under pressure from Russia,” she stated.
An international conference on the topic "Cultural and ethnic diversity: lessons from history, contemporary challenges" is taking place in Shusha.
The event is organized by the “Center for Cultural and Ethnic Diversity” Public Association in partnership with the “Silk Road” Public Association for Cultural and Historical Research.
Representatives from Azerbaijan, the U.S., France, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Türkiye, and Georgia are participating in the conference.
