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SECULARISM IN AZERBAIJAN AND THE THREAT OF RADICALISATION IN THE REGION June 2015 About the European Foundation for Democracy The European Foundation for Democracy is a Brussels-based policy institute dedicated to upholding Europe’s fundamental values of freedom and equality, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion.Today these principles are being challenged by a number of factors, among them rapid social change as a result of high levels of immigration from cultures with different customs, a rise in intolerance on all sides, an increasing sense of a conict of civilisations and the growing inuence of radical, extremist ideologies worldwide.We work with grassroots activists, media, policy experts and government ofcials throu -ghout Europe to identify constructive approaches to addressing these challenges. Our goal is to ensure that the universal values of the Enlightenment – religious tolerance, political pluralism, individual liberty and government by democracy – remain the core foundation of Europe’s prosperity and welfare, and the basis on which diverse cultures and opinions can interact peacefully.