From December 3 to 4, the International Congress "Language Policy in the CIS Countries" was held in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. The congress was attended by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and experts from other countries in the field of science, education and, in particular, linguistics, authors of textbooks and study guides, ambassadors of the CIS countries in Belarus, cultural figures, representatives of publishing houses, public structures and mass media of Russia.

The congress was held on the initiative of the CIS Executive Committee and the Rossotrudnichestvo association with organizational support of the Russian State Institute of the Russian Language named after A.S. Pushkin and the National Parents Association (more precisely, the National Parents Association for Special Support to Families and the Protection of Family Values) at a branch of the Russian State Social University.

The purpose of the congress was to organize a wide discussion of multilingualism by experts, to analyze the effective experience of the language situation in multilingual, multicultural, multiconfessional countries. The congress on language policy in the CIS countries was not accidental. It was noted at the congress that the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States are mostly multilingual and in addition to the state language, they have official languages, languages of interethnic communication, and languages of peoples who consider this country to be their homeland. According to reviews currently in the CIS countries, people speak approximately 500 languages, almost 150-300 of them are represented in the Russian Federation. In this situation, each of the CIS countries pursues its own language policy. This policy is based on the history and practice of language policy, on the communication needs of these peoples and nationalities and creates a model of mutual coexistence and communication of existing languages. As the speakers noted, the success achieved by any country in building a state, education, science and culture depends on the correct construction of language policy.

About 150 language experts from 10 CIS countries gathered to participate in the congress. Sumgayit State University was represented by professors of SSU Ramazan Mammadov and Nigar Isgenderova. Baku Slavic University (Prof. F.S. Najiyev, Associate Professor G.A. Aliyev, Associate Professor J.A.Safarova), Azerbaijan University of Languages (Prof. M.A. Aliyev), Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (Prof. L.O. Vezirova), Lankaran State University (Associate Professor K.Sh. Kazimov), Nakhchivan State University (Associate Professor G.V. Adigozalov), Azerbaijan University (Prof. A.A. Hajiyev) and representatives of Russian cooperation Center in Azerbaijan (L.T. Yakunin and O.I.Alenin) also participated in the congress.

The members of the Azerbaijani delegation took an active part in the work of the congress. They made reports on the linguistic situation in the republic, successful language policy pursued in the country, participated in discussions and round tables.

The head of the research laboratory "Center for Russian Studies" prof. M.Aliyev made a presentation at the opening of the congress -“The language situation in Azerbaijan at present”. Two scientists from Azerbaijan participated in a panel discussion and a round table as co-chairs.

It should be noted that the work of the congress was intense and varied. Its sections covered all areas of the language situation and language policy.