24 September 2008
AZERTAC State news agency, AssA-Irada

The aim of the summit co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sport is to achieve successes in the settlement of youth`s unemployment.

Azerbaijan`s First lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador,MP Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady of Egypt Suzanne Mubarak, as well as 600 representatives from more than 100 countries attend the event.

In a congratulatory letter addressed to the participants of the Youth Employment Summit (YES), President Ilham Aliyev wrote that the employment of youths, who are considered the most active layers of society, is an important issue in countries around the world. He also said the participation of representatives from any corner of the world in the event being held in the Azerbaijani capital was an indication of great interest taken in youth employment issues on the global scale.

Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov said in his remarks that the goal of the summit was to step up efforts worldwide aiming to solve problems regarding unemployment and ensuring efficient employment of young people. He said the state programs prepared in Azerbaijan in recent years targeted reducing unemployment rate among youths, supporting their entrepreneurial activity as well as arranging career training sessions. The minister emphasized that as a result of the work done on youth employment, Azerbaijan was included in the International Labor Organization as one of the champion states.

Addressing the event, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, who co-chaired the summit, said the Azerbaijani government has always supported the development of youths in the country. “Azerbaijan is a country with the increasing number of youths, who account for 51% of the population. Although ensuring youth employment in the country is challenging given that Azerbaijan is facing Armenia’s aggression and has over a million refugees and displaced persons, as a result of the work done by the state in this area, the problem has been left behind, and youths attributed to this group are now benefiting from modern education system as well. Such measures are aimed at ensuring a bright future for our youths.”

Aliyeva said enlightening youths and improving their intellectual development was part of the domestic policy pursued by the government. She noted that high-quality education and subsequent employment of youngsters were one of the top priorities for the government.

Marianna Vardinoyannis, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, said Azerbaijan is one of the top reformers in the world on poverty reduction. She welcomed the support provided to youths, their education and care for their future, emphasizing that the country could serve as an example for other states in this respect. “Azerbaijan is a happy nation considering that those suffering from poverty make up a minute portion of the population. Children in your country think not about making a living, but about receiving education.

“But unfortunately, 85% of the world’s young generation is concentrated in poor countries, and they lack the opportunity to receive education like others and to engage in efficient work. We want to attract the attention of the world community and international organizations to this.” About 1 billion children worldwide are suffering from poverty, according to UN estimates.

Egypt's First Lady, Suzanne Mubarak, another co-chair of the summit, and Poonam Ahluwalia, President of the international organization Youth Employment System (YES Inc), said in their addresses that peace and stability are among key pre-conditions for the normal economic development and ensuring employment in any given country. They expressed hope that by capitalizing on the extensive experience of various countries represented at the Baku summit, new approaches will be developed in addressing youth employment issues and proposals prepared on ways of applying them.

The fourth YES summit, which will last four days, is supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports. The first YES summit was held in 2002 in Alexandria, Egypt, with the chairmanship of US President Bill Clinton and Egypt's First Lady. The second such event took place in Mexico City, while the third one – in Nairobi, Kenya. At the latest summit, it was decided on the proposal of the Azerbaijani delegation to hold the next event in Baku.