Heydar Aliyev's youth policy targeted bright future
By Sara Rajabova
The national youth strategy of Azerbaijan was the central part of Heydar Aliyev's state policy. This strategy was based on the great leader's ideas reflecting the interests of the Azerbaijani youth.
"Today, youth model of Azerbaijan can be an example for other countries," Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Intigam Babayev said. He made the remark on the memorial day of Azerbaijan’s Great Leader Heydar Aliyev.
December 12 marks the death anniversary of a great person, political figure and Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev, who passed away 11 years ago.
“Since his coming to power for the second time, he took long steps to create a new generation of young people in independence Azerbaijan. Today, these measures meet international standards and reflect the interests of Azerbaijani youth,” Babayev said.
He noted that before the presidential election, in September 1993, during a meeting with active young people in the building of the Supreme Council of that time, Heydar Aliyev informally laid the foundation of the state’s youth policy, and today Azerbaijan is harvesting the fruits of this policy.
Babayev went on to say that the current level of development of the youth has reached its peak. He said Azerbaijani youth represent the country at high levels abroad in all areas - social, scientific, cultural and others.
“All these achievements are the results of Heydar Aliyev's strategy. Today, this strategy is carried out on a new level under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. I believe that the decrees and orders of the great leader, his personal participation in the first youth forum, and his recommendations to the Azerbaijani youth have shaken the whole society, and drew attentions of all state bodies to the youth topic,” Babayev said.
He further added that after his strategy, new questions have raised about involving the youth in governance, their close involvement in decision-making in society and the expansion of their social and educational roles. To this end, there were relevant government programs, action plans, and a number of projects.
“Of course, there are problems associated with youth in every society. Today, the Azerbaijani youth have also some problems and the government is taking steps to address them,” Babayev said.
He also underlined that a number of international organizations recognize that Azerbaijan conducts a state policy that was designed for the bright future of the youth.