Baku prepares to welcome UN Global Forum

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Baku expects heads of nearly 50 countries to attend the most anticipated United Nations Forum on April 25-27.

The UN Forum considered as one of the largest forums in the world is attended by heads of state and foreign ministers to make important decisions.

Holding this issue of the Global Forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations, which was established to eliminate the tension between the West and the Islamic world, in Azerbaijan -- an ancient land located between East and West – is, of course, symbolic.

The country, that promotes ideas of multiculturalism, named 2016 as a Year of multiculturalism in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is recognized worldwide as a country of tolerance, where many nations live in peace, mutual understanding and respect, and which strives to enhance the dialogue between civilizations. Baku is traditionally hosting humanitarian forums and meetings on intercultural dialogue. One of them is Baku Process initiated in 2008 to exchange and discuss major contemporary challenges pertaining to intercultural dialogue and share related universal values.

The Azerbaijani president assessed a decision to hold the high-level event in Baku as a UN appraisal of the work carried out in Azerbaijan."

UNAOC High Representative Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser fully trusts the forum will represent an incredible opportunity “to harness the multiple perspectives of various actors and to determine innovative solutions to move towards living inclusively together.”

The hosting of the forum in Baku in 2016 – a year between the two major international events – is also significant, as this city welcomed the inaugural European Games in 2015 and will embrace the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017.

“Baku will host 40 events with a special one to be dedicated to youth with participation of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon,” Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfas Garayev said at a meeting of the Organizing Committee of the Forum on January 27.

UN delegation led by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit Azerbaijan on February 20.

The Global Forum will traditionally feature a variety of high-profile speakers from various different backgrounds and sectors, ranging from academia, politics, NGOs, civil society, and the media.

Garayev went on to add that international experts would prepare a special book highlighting the opinions and testimonials of renowned participants of the forum.

The Baku Forum has a logo and own website (baku.unaoc.org). The official media partner of the forum is AzTV and Azertag state news agency.

The Forum will be held at Baku Congress Center and the Heydar Aliyev Center. The participants of the event should complete online registration form on www.baku.unaoc.org.

The initiative to hold forum in Baku was accepted at the annual meeting of the ministers of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in 2014. Last November, Azerbaijan allocated 3.5 million manats for the organization of the Global Forum.