Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan will host First Club de Madrid South Caucasus Forum on Inclusion, Promoting Women's Empowerment and Building Shared Societies on May 6-8.

Some 30 heads of state and governments, 12 members of the Club de Madrid, 12 members of Nizami Ganjavi International Center, and over 200 high-level experts, stakeholders, scholars and civil society representatives will address democracy-related issues like inclusion, shared societies and women's economic, social and political empowerment in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

The most important session of the forum, which will allow for the presentation of key messages and commitments of the Club de Madrid's Shared Societies Project and thus raise awareness and contribute to building a shared society in Azerbaijan, will be held in Baku on May 7-8.

The South Caucasus Forum on Inclusion will start with a workshop on women's empowerment to be held in Ganja, the country's second largest city.

The agenda of this session will cover three thematic areas: women in politics and policymaking, women and peace building and women in the labor market.

This first South Caucasus Forum on Inclusion will bring together national, regional and international authorities. Participants will gather to provide support to the authorities of Azerbaijan in facing the challenges of democratic development, particularly inclusion of minorities and internally displaced persons.

The Club de Madrid -- the largest forum of democratically elected former Presidents and Prime Ministers -- was invited to co-organize this first Club de Madrid South Caucasus Forum in Azerbaijan by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, a cultural, non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to the memory of great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi, with support of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Diaspora and Ganja city mayor's office.

The Club de Madrid is an independent non-profit organization composed of over 90 democratic former presidents and prime ministers from more than 60 countries, who have come together to respond to a growing demand for support among leaders in two key areas: democratic leadership and governance; and response to crisis and post-crisis situations.