The 11th Forum of Azerbaijani Youth, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, began in Baku on February 2.

Prior to the event, young participants visited the grave of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the Alley of Honors, The Caspian Post reports, citing AZERTAC.

Farid Gayibov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, read out President Ilham Aliyev’s address to Azerbaijani youth on the occasion of Youth Day.

The forum featured the screening of a video highlighting the youth policy implemented in the country, followed by the presentation of awards to young people who were honored with Presidential Prizes. The awards were presented by Yusuf Mammadaliyev, Head of the Department of Youth Policy and Sports Issues of the Presidential Administration; Anar Aliyev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population; Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sports; Firudin Gurbanov, Deputy Minister of Science and Education; and Murad Huseynov, Deputy Minister of Culture.

In his remarks, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Anar Aliyev highlighted the significant progress achieved in youth employment and vocational training. He emphasized that vocational training programs implemented by the Ministry make an important contribution to increasing young people’s readiness for employment, developing innovative thinking and practical skills, and forming a pool of qualified personnel across various sectors of the economy.

Deputy Minister of Science and Education Firudin Gurbanov noted that the foundation of Azerbaijan’s youth policy is closely associated with the name of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. He stressed that the attention and care shown by the National Leader toward youth led to the establishment of a solid legal framework in this field, as well as the adoption of key decrees and orders. According to Firudin Gurbanov, this policy has been successfully continued and further developed by President Ilham Aliyev, whose purposeful approach serves as a clear roadmap for young people.

Deputy Minister of Culture Murad Huseynov highlighted the role of culture in shaping young people’s worldview, noting its influence on the core values of youth policy.

The forum session continued with discussions.

It was noted that a session dedicated to the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture,” as well as a workshop titled “Youth Potential - for the Sake of National Development,” will be held at the Khankendi Congress Center on February 3.