First lady joins Business 20-Women 20 panel at G20 Summit
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva arrived in Antalya, Turkey, accompanying President Ilham Aliyev to the G20 Summit on November 15-16.
The President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva has visited the Center for Persons with Disabilities in Antalya on November 14.
Azerbaijan’s First Lady and Vice-President of the Foundation Leyla Aliyeva were welcomed by First Lady of Turkey Emine Erdogan.
Mehriban Aliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, First Lady of the South Africa Thobeka Madiba-Zuma, First Lady of Zimbabwe Grace Mugabe, spouse of the Malaysian Prime Minister Rosmah Mansor and other guests familiarized themselves with the Center.
First, a video on the care and attention to persons with disabilities, as well as their integration into the society was demonstrated. The guests were informed about the activity of the Center and were also familiarized with the education process in the facility.
Following, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and Leyla Aliyeva attended Business 20 - Women 20 joint panel at the G20 Summit.
In her opening remarks, Emine Erdogan urged developed countries to maintain higher moral and ethical values when dealing with refugees.
“The most effected people from human tragedy are women and children as always,” she stressed.
She said women and children were paying the highest price in the ongoing global tragedies.
“We should say stop to all kinds of cruelty without discriminating on basis of language, religion and race. We should not sacrifice women and children to religion in any kind of fight and war,” she noted.
“Think of a mother who escapes from a war zone, she is only taking the risk for herself and she is also taking a risk for her children,” she added.
The Women 20 engagement group, which focuses on promoting gender inclusiveness and gender equality, was formed under the Turkish presidency of G20.
Then, Mehriban Aliyeva and Emine Erdogan met in Antalya. Daughters of the Azerbaijani and Turkish first ladies Leyla Aliyeva and Sumeyye Erdogan were present at the meeting.
As part of the visit, Mehriban Aliyeva and Leyla Aliyeva attended a dinner hosted by First Lady Emine Erdogan in honor of spouses of heads of state and government and international organizations participating in the G20 Summit.
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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’ staff journalist. Follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
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