YOUTH FOR ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN BAKU
Youth for the Alliance of Civilizations Conference today started at the Gulustan palace in Baku.
The Conference is hosted by Azerbaijan`s first lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva.
The Conference started with the introductory film “Youth for the Alliance of Civilizations: dreams come true”.
Messages of greeting from Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan were read out at the Conference.
Secretary General of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation Elshad Isgandarov expressed his gratitude to Mehriban Aliyeva for her support of the Youth for the Alliance of Civilizations Conference.
First lady Mehriban Aliyeva said there is a high level of religious tolerance in Azerbaijan, and that representatives of various nations and religious faiths live in peace here.
Speaking on problems facing the world today, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation noted youth bear huge responsibility for fighting against such threats like terrorism, AIDs and global warming.
Mehriban Aliyeva stressed youth must also combine efforts towards strengthening the intercultural dialogue and fighting against extremism.
Wife of the Emir of Qatar Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned emphasized youth`s role in strengthening intercivilizational unity.
She stressed Islam must not be used for someone`s interests.
Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, ISESCO, thanked the President of Azerbaijan and his spouse for their support of the youth movement.
President of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation Ali Sarikaya and representative of the council of Europe Ralph Rene Weingaertner spoke of how to boost international cooperation among youth.
Letters of greeting from UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and Administrator of the United Nations Development Program Kemal Dervis were read out at the conference.
For her contribution to development of science, education and intercultural dialogue and popularization of Azerbaijan`s culture in the world, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the title of the Ambassador for Global Youth Development of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation.
The conference continued with panel discussions.