Heydar Aliyev Foundation VP addresses IUCN World Parks Congress
By Nigar Orujova
Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Founder and Head of International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) Campaign, addressed the plenary session of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) World Parks Congress held in Sydney, Australia, on November 14.
Aliyeva highlighted Azerbaijan’s geographical location, nature,
flora and fauna, and climate. She spoke of what is being done to
protect the nature and environment, particularly the activities of
IDEA and efforts to preserve endangered wild animals in
Azerbaijan.
She provided an insight into a Big Five program aimed at protecting
five endangered species of the Caucasian fauna. Later, Aliyeva
responded to questions of the session’s participants.
Aliyeva also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of
the congress.
In her meeting with Julia Marton-Lefevre, Director General of IUCN,
Aliyeva spoke of the successful projects that IDEA has launched to
protect flora and fauna, the endangered fauna species, including
rare animals in the country and in the entire Caucasus region.
She praised the joint projects that IDEA and IUCN jointly
implemented and stressed the necessity of deepening of this
cooperation in the years ahead.
Marton-Lefevre, in turn, said IDEA’a activity was exemplary, and
stressed the importance of its environmental projects, expressing
gratitude for consistent contribution to the nature protection
efforts.
Later, Aliyeva met with Dr Frederic Launay, Director General of The
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and Senior Advisor to
the Secretary General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi.
Launay spoke of the achievements gained in the nature protection
field in Saudi Arabia and praised the environmental projects that
IDEA launched in the country and the whole Caucasus region.
The sides agreed to continue exchange of experience and close
cooperation in the coming years.
The IDEA is implementing some large-scale local and international projects to protect the environment and to promote innovative approaches towards solving environmental problems.
The campaign is based on the principles of dialogue, action, leadership, and education - all the essential components for equipping a generation with means of fostering positive and sustainable environmental change.
One of the notable activities of IDEA in the last three years since its establishment has been a massive tree planting campaign during which more than 3,472,000 trees have been planted.