Youth Day celebrated in Azerbaijan

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended a republican conference dedicated to the Day of Azerbaijani Youth at Baku Convention Center on February 1. Nation 2

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended a republican conference dedicated to the Day of Azerbaijani Youth at Baku Convention Center on February 1.

President Aliyev congratulated young people on the Day of Youth.

Addressing the event, the head of state said the Day of Youth has been celebrated in Azerbaijan for 22 years.

“As you know, in 1997, on the initiative of great leader Heydar Aliyev, the Day of Youth was introduced in Azerbaijan. The great leader always treated young people with great care and love. He knew very well that the future of the country was in the hands of young people,” he said.

President Aliyev underlined that the modern youth policy in Azerbaijan began in 1994.

“The great leader established the Ministry of Youth and Sports that year. The establishment of this ministry became a significant event. It was in 1994 that the youth policy began to be implemented in Azerbaijan,” he said.

The head of state said that those were very difficult years, adding that Azerbaijan was just emerging from crisis.

“The economic situation in our country was very difficult. Reforms were only getting underway in the country. Despite all these difficulties, a very correct decision by the great leader opened up new opportunities and created new conditions for young people in Azerbaijan,” he added.

President Aliyev emphasized that from 2005 to the present day, three state programs have been adopted.

“About 40 youth centers have been established in the regions. There are 44 Olympic centers with predominantly young people in training,” he said.

“Our international relations are expanding. The city of Ganja was awarded the status of the European youth capital in 2016. We have hosted various international events in Azerbaijan, including the conference of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. All this indicates that the right steps are and will continue to be taken in this direction,” the President said.

He noted that Azerbaijani youth lives in an era of independence now.

“This is a huge happiness. Every patriotic Azerbaijani today is rightfully proud to be a citizen of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. Our youth has played a huge role in the comprehensive development of the country. Our young people successfully work in various sectors, making a great contribution to the overall development of the country,” the head of state said.

“The main direction for young people, of course, is education. Addressing young people, I urge them to pay great attention to education because knowledge and literacy are in the foreground in today's world,” he added.

The President emphasized that the world today is developing so fast and the technology is so rapidly moving forward that it is very difficult to find a worthy place in life without knowledge and literacy.

“Young people should be professional. Young people should strive to improve their professionalism whatever field they work in. Our young people should be raised in the national spirit, in the spirit of patriotism. Our people have been part of other states and empires for centuries. However, we have preserved our national identity, customs and traditions. Why? Because they have always been attached to our values, and today's young people should always pay great attention to this issue. Azerbaijani values are the most important for us. It is these values, our native language, culture, literature and art that have preserved us as a people, as a nation, and have protected us from assimilation for centuries,” he noted.

The President underlined that Azerbaijani youth is an active part of the society these days.

“We can rightly be proud of our youth. Our youth is fighting for the land, for the Motherland. The vast majority of our martyrs are young people. May Allah rest the souls of all our martyrs in peace! The youth has made our military victories possible. The April battles are our glorious historical victory, and the absolute majority of participants in these operations are young people. As a result of this operation, we have liberated the lands that remained under occupation for years. We have raised the flag of Azerbaijan on these lands – in Lalatapa, in the mountains of Fizuli, Jabrayil and Aghdara districts,” he added.

Calling it a great and historic victory, the President underlined that it has demonstrated once again that the Azerbaijani people will never put up with occupation, that Azerbaijani soldiers and officers are ready to sacrifice their lives for their land, for their homeland.

“This victory has dispelled the myth created by Armenians over the years. It has demonstrated that we excel them on the battlefield as well. This victory has shown that by launching a counteroffensive operation from the most unfavorable military positions, we managed to take over strategic positions. The steps being taken in the field of army building today are natural and necessary because we are at war which is not yet over. We must be ready to liberate our lands from the occupiers at any time,” he added.

In his speech, the head of state also underlined that the movement of volunteers has gained momentum in Azerbaijan.

“I warmly welcome this. About 20,000 young people worked as volunteers and now work in various positions in different organizations and bring benefit. The movement of volunteers began with "ASAN xidmәt". The vast majority of those working in "ASAN xidmәt" are young people,” he said.

He also noted that our young people are achieving great victories and bringing us fame in sports.

“Every sporting victory delights and inspires all patriotic citizens. Look at the progress we have made. In the last summer Olympic Games, Azerbaijan finished in 14th place in the world for the number of medals. This is a historic victory. This victory was won by our young people who were born and raised in the era of independence. We could never have imagined that,” the head of state said.

Ilham Aliyev also briefly spoke of some of the challenges facing the country today.

“Of course, the most important task is to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan is strengthening its positions in this direction in legal, political and in all other respects. Our territorial integrity is not, never has been and never will be the subject of negotiation. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is recognized by the whole world, and additional steps have been taken in this direction in recent years,” he said.

“We are protecting the state interests of Azerbaijan by all means. We have seen pressure, lies, slander and speculation along the way. All this could not make us turn away from the chosen path because we are on the right track. We know that our policy is in the interests of the people. The results achieved, our successes, the changing appearance of our cities serve as the best answer to all ill-wishers, to everyone who wants to harm and envies us. But this process must be permanent, it must be continued. Therefore, you, as young people, should be ready for this and know everything. Your most important task is to protect our independence and national interests, to protect Azerbaijan from outside influence and ensure a peaceful life for our people,” the President added.

Azerbaijani youth is active, patriotic, educated and knowledgeable, he said.