The 6th Global Baku Forum has started in Baku today with the support of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with the Diaspora and organization of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.
The three-day forum will be attended by presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers of many countries, including President of Albania Ilir Meta, President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, President of Moldova Igor Dodon, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Deputy Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic and Romanian Vice Prime Minister Ana Birchall and others.
The messages from Italian President Sergio Matarella, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Pope Francis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be read out.
About 500 guests, including former presidents and heads of governments, well-known public and political figures who are the members of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, are also expected to participate in the forum.
The participants are expected to discuss such issues as peace and security in the Middle East, the current geopolitical situation in the Balkan region, and the growing role of youth in social and political life in the modern world.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the forum.
The Global Baku Forum has turned into an influential international platform, the Azerbaijani President noted in his statement.
"Among our guests there are representatives of more than fifty countries, more than 450 guests. Among them are 47 acting and former heads of states and governments, prominent politicians, statesmen, scientists, representatives of civil society," Ilham Aliyev added.
The president expressed confidence that during the work of the forum we will broadly discuss the issues which are on top agenda of international relations and that there will be important recommendations in order to provide security, stability, predictability and cooperation in the world.
Ilham Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan has already hosted many international events. "Among them are - traditional Baku Humanitarian Forum, regular International Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, World Religious Leaders forum, UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum," he listed. The president also mentioned the inaugural European Games in 2015 and 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017.
"All these events serve the cause of cooperation, these events build bridges, establish more understanding between representatives of different countries, different religious, different views," he stressed.
Ilham Aliyev also said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Baku Process, which has now full support of the United Nations, and which is a unique platform of cooperation between the country members of the Council of Europe and the members of the Islamic Cooperation Organization. "Azerbaijan, as a member of both international organizations, initiated the meeting of the ministers of culture of both organizations in Baku, in 2008. Now, the Baku Process embraces the very broad activity in order to create better understanding between international organizations and peoples," the head of state pointed out.
