The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is now officially registered in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan recently notified the Church of its successful registration, which started in the second half of 2023, according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“This is a significant step for the Church in the country,” the news release said. “It provides for a body that is officially recognized by the government of Azerbaijan to act for the Church in the Baku area. The Church currently has a small group of members meeting regularly in the city.”
Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, a county with a population of 10.3 million people. The country is located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bordered by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south.
Developing a relationship
The Church began developing a respectful and cordial relationship with Azerbaijan officials and religious leaders in 2015.
On April 30 of this year, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with Ilham Aliyev, president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and other officials, to discuss mutual interests, including the Church’s registration. Elder Bednar was accompanied by Elder Jack N. Gerard, a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Church’s Europe Central Area.
While in Azerbaijan, Elder Bednar participated in the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue that was held in Baku, May 1-3. The event drew more than 1,000 representatives from governments, international organizations, religious groups, scholars and civic society leaders from all over the world. The theme of the forum was “Dialogue for Peace and Global Security: Cooperation and Interconnectivity.”
In his remarks at the event, Elder Bednar said that in his role as an Apostle, he had been blessed to visit more than 110 nations. “The commonalities I have observed among peoples of diverse backgrounds, faith traditions and cultures are truly remarkable. Our commonalities should be more powerful than our differences,” he said.
Sheik ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, a prominent Muslim leader, also participated in the conference. He visited the First Presidency at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City in October 2023. They discussed topics of common interest, including religious freedom, peace and cooperation. At that time, the Muslim leader invited Church leaders to visit the country of Azerbaijan.
Humanitarian efforts in Azerbaijan
Since 1997, the Church has supported or collaborated with other organizations on more than 70 humanitarian projects and other humanitarian efforts in Azerbaijan, providing relief aid, wheelchairs, clean water and education projects to various communities.
Gratitude
Elder Gerard expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani government representatives for their assistance in the registration process, acknowledging its significance for the Church.
“President Aliyev, Chairman Mammadov, Sheik ul-Islam and many others were instrumental in this wonderful outcome for the Church, and their actions show that together we can all promote harmony, regardless of religion or cultural background,” Elder Gerard said in the news release.
