Baku hosts discussions on promoting peace and combating disinformation
A special session entitled “The Language of Peace and Combating Disinformation” was held at the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art as part of the Baku Culture and Media Dialogue Platform.
Organized as part of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, the session focused on the media’s role in promoting peace, combating disinformation, and strengthening global media’s responsibility for fostering intercultural dialogue.
The event brought together heads of media institutions, as well as local and foreign journalists.
Addressing the session, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said: “Following the 2023 war, the Government of Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev demonstrated strategic foresight and political commitment by, first and foremost, initiating the signing of a peace agreement with Armenia. This was not an easy decision for the Azerbaijani people.”
Noting that proposing a peace agenda immediately after the war required considerable commitment, the presidential assistant said that the Government of Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev had taken this initiative.
“It was right here that we took a crucial step towards establishing lasting peace and ending the war. It was the opposing side that resisted and spread disinformation. All the fundamental principles of the peace agreement were drafted by Azerbaijan,” Hikmet Hajiyev emphasized.
The presidential assistant underscored that people must be honest when speaking about Azerbaijan-Armenia relations.
“There are certain bitter memories that we cannot simply close our eyes to and erase from the memory of the Azerbaijani people. These memories also become part of our history and culture,” Hajiyev said.
According to the presidential assistant, Azerbaijan has no intention of seeking revenge; however, much work remains to be done to ensure lasting peace.
He further noted that artificial intelligence and social media, as well as their integration, are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. He added that disinformation, artificial intelligence and certain other factors can pose challenges in this regard.
“First of all, we have to acknowledge that disinformation is not a new phenomenon, don’t we? Even thousands of years ago, disinformation and myths were integral parts of strategies. Today, however, disinformation and all related elements are becoming part of a broader hybrid strategy affecting countries and societies,” Hikmet Hajiyev emphasized.
The presidential aide underscored that the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue contributes to broader intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue.
He stressed that dialogue between cultures and civilizations was needed now more than ever.
“However, the focus should not be limited to inter-civilizational dialogue, as dialogue within civilizations was equally important. In this regard, the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue would provide an additional platform for broader discussions,” Hajiyev added.
