World Youth Festival 2011 opens in Ganja
Baku, October 16 (AZERTAC).Ganja, Azerbaijan`s second largest city, has hosted the opening ceremony of the World Youth Festival 2011, which is co-organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ganja Government, Irali and Galacaya Korpu NGOs.
The festival brings together nearly 100 delegates from 50 countries.
In his opening remarks, head of Irali, Jeyhun Osmanly, stressed the importance of the festival, saying it brings together representatives of different nations, different religions and different languages.
Ganja governor, Elmar Valiyev, said it was remarkable that the festival coincided with the 870th anniversary of great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi.
Youth and sport minister, Azad Rahimov, highlighted the Azerbaijani government`s youth policy.
He said solving youth problems and increasing their employment were among key priorities in President Ilham Aliyev`s policy.
“It`s not a coincidence that the President declared 2011 as the Year of Youth. The country also adopted a 2011-2015 State program on youth.”
Head of the political analysis and information provision department at the Azerbaijani President`s administration, Elnur Aslanov, highlighted Azerbaijan`s achievements in public, political, economic and cultural spheres.
“Azerbaijan managed to increase its budget to 20 billion US dollars, the figure which is compared not only with regional countries but with developed European countries. Azerbaijan is today the regional leader, and no project can be implemented in the region without Azerbaijan`s participation. Azerbaijan plays an important role in ensuring Europe`s energy security.” Aslanov also highlighted the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Armenia occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan`s lands. “Over million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homelands becoming refugees and IDPs. Despite Azerbaijan`s efforts for almost 20 years, the conflict has not yet been resolved. Armenia continues to reject resolutions of the UN General Assembly and other international organizations, which demand their unconditional withdrawal from our territories.” Aslanov urged the festival participants “to deliver Azerbaijan`s truths to the world”.
Other speakers included Azeri MP Asef Hajiyev, delegates from Ukraine, the UAE, Jordan and Estonia.
Following the opening ceremony, the festival`s participants visited the construction site of a Youth house in the Heydar Aliyev park, viewed Nizami Ganjavi`s grave and watched a gala concert.
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