The International Conference “The Youth for Alliance of Civilizations”
The International Conference “The Youth for Alliance of Civilizations” started on November 1 at Gulustan Palace.
First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the Conference.
Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:
Her Majesty!
Dear participants!
Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen!
I greet all participants in conference “The Youth for Alliance of Civilizations”, a high-level event organized by OIC Youth Forum for Dialog and Cooperation and Heydar Aliyev Foundation. I express my special gratitude to First Lady of Qatar Her Majesty Sheikha Mozah, High Commissioner of UN Secretary General for Alliance of Civilizations Jorj Sampayo and ISESCO Director General His Excellency Mr Abdulaziz bi Othman al-Tuveyjri for accepting our invitation on attending this conference.
I say “Welcome!” to all our guests having come to Azerbaijan and thank them for being with us here today. I congratulate participants of youth camp of the alliance and young leaders on completing with excellent results yesterday their works on building the new global youth movement.
Realization of such an important conference in Azerbaijan is of symbolic sense. Young leaders of about 50 countries, reps of international organizations, politicians, scholars and public figures have gathered in Baku City where a new international movement is founded. From ancient times Azerbaijan was known with respect and tolerance to different cultures and religions. For long years we together have lived in peace.
Historically Azerbaijan had been a multination country. According to constitution, all national minorities here are entitled to equal rights and live as one family. Religious and ethnic tolerance is major element of all our achievements. We are much proud of this.
You know that Heydar Aliyev Foundation operates in priority spheres such as science, culture, health and social field. Our foundation has implemented a number of huge projects in those fields. Today we pay special attention to education of youth. Over 200 new schools have been built in the country in frame of our New School to New Azerbaijan Programe. The government supported our initiative and 1200 new schools were built in our country for last 3 years.
Our foundation has firm ties with international organizations such UNESCO, ISESCO, UNDP. I hope we will be strengthening our cooperation with the alliance of civilizations and to us it is very advantageous and timely initiative.
I think realization of such important conference in Baku is recognition of achievements of our country and a significant achievement towards establishment of the alliance of countries, nations and religions. We are living in very complicated and contradictious world and sometimes we lack here for understanding, confidence and objective knowledge on each other. Xenophobia, illicit views, negative stereotypes have been widely spread lately. Except social injustice and inequality it may result in violence, conflict too and break international stability.
The world is in a dilemma today: either to step towards building the dialog of religions and cultures, partnership and cooperation or to be dragged into non-tolerance, division and tension. The alliance of civilizations aims building confidence, creating dialog, recognize and respect ethnic cultural values, diversity of universe. The history has lots of samples on great use of exchange of ideas of cultures. There are many common bases and values among Islam and other big religions of the world. It is also truth that it is too difficult to one country to solve problems such as terror, global warming and AIDS. Therefore, we should mobilize our efforts for progress.
I am sure that founding that global youth movement for the alliance of civilizations is inevitable in current circumstances. Incidents happening in world mainly depend on work and conduct of youth in every modern society. Today, youth is social force leading to positive social change. Today, young leaders form the most active part of population and are more open to progressive ideas. Youth dreams of learning and practicing. Because of these reasons youth should play big role in promotion of ideas, principles and values of the alliance of civilizations.
Youth must unite their efforts in fight against non-tolerance and extremism. We support this initiative and appreciate academic media circles and actives of social sphere gathered in Baku. Taking this opportunity, I express my gratitude to all people having brought their experience to the Conference.
This forum is a special opportunity for youth to discuss lots of important problems withy experts, scientists and politicians. I hope, taking into consideration that the objective we have set consists of creating the movement aiming the actions, this experience will let youth not only discuss but also set the road map of their works. I believe and hope due to youth and experience we will have huge results. Ideas to be formed as result of these discussions will be reflected in Baku Intergeneration Declaration. But most important is to see realization of ideas in real life and politics. On this point, the forum provided an opportunity to youth to express their vision to circles making decisions in governments, international organizations and private sector. I hope by only constructive influence we can develop political support and perform new initiatives. Now we should do so that the next annual summit on the alliance of civilizations took our recommendations into account and include this new movement in its frame.
Dear friends, I believe this prestigious forum will bring youth of various cultures, traditions and religions together, strengthen the understanding of cultures.
In the end, I express my gratitude to everyone involved in preparation of this event. I hope you were pleased of being in our beautiful city.
I wish you success and happiness.
Thank you for attention.