Dear Congress delegates,

Dear women,

I warmly greet you – participants of III Congress of the Women of Azerbaijan, and wish all of you health, happiness and success in work. The Azerbaijani woman always demonstrated wisdom, selflessness and determination on the way of perpetuating of our customs and traditions, their transfer from generation to generation. She preserved at all times high national-moral values inherent in our people, directed all her energy and ability to education of youth in the spirit of national ideology, imparting it strong attachment to the homeland, work and family. Throughout centuries-old history our outstanding persons glorified tenderness and beauty, courage and faithfulness, mind and intelligence of the Azerbaijani woman. Moral cleanliness, riches of private world of our women is fully reflected in our monuments of word and art of which we are proud.

The Azerbaijani woman, who has achieved in the beginning of the past century full provision of the rights and freedom, became a member of our society equal in rights and has brought valuable contribution to country development. Our women who have experienced big losses and undergone shocks during difficult political processes that occurred after restoration of the state independence of the Azerbaijan Republic, sacrificed for the sake of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, and show today adherence to freedom ideals, and worthily serve the cause of construction of the national state. The successes reached by them in various areas are noteworthy. Knowledge and ability of the Azerbaijani women has played great role in the successes reached by our dynamically developing country. The democratic atmosphere established in republic has created favorable environment for realization of rich potential of the Azerbaijani woman.

The policy pursued by the Azerbaijan state concerning women, eliminating any discrimination, is directed on ensuring equal rights and equal possibilities for women. I hope that the decisions made at Congress will serve further improvement of this policy.

Sure, your Congress will have wide and fruitful discussions, prepare recommendations directed on solution of problems, worrying our society, and promote increase of the activity of women, inspire them on new accomplishments.

With deep respect,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 26 September 2008