Baku, August 23, 2025 – The Europe Today: The 2nd International Youth Forum for Multiculturalism and Peace, themed “Youth as Ambassadors of Peacebuilding in a Multicultural Environment”, officially opened today in Baku. The event is co-organized by the Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).
In his opening remarks, Ravan Hasanov, Executive Director of BIMC, emphasized that Azerbaijan has historically been a land where diverse cultures, languages, and religions have coexisted. He noted that the multiculturalism policy initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev and successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev has positioned Azerbaijan as a global model of intercultural dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
Highlighting the significance of the forum’s theme, Hasanov stressed the critical role of youth in advancing peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding in the modern world.
Dinara Guliyeva, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector at ICESCO, underlined that the forum represents a new phase in the productive partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan. Other speakers, including Namira Negm, Director of the African Union’s Africa Migration Observatory, and Noufal Abboud, Director of the Nordic Center for Conflict Transformation, reiterated the importance of the forum as a platform for international youth cooperation.
Following the opening ceremony, ICESCO and its Baku Regional Office, in partnership with the African Union’s Africa Migration Observatory and the Nordic Center for Conflict Transformation, hosted a workshop titled “The Power of Diversity: Youth as a Driving Force for Peace and Understanding.” The session explored how cultural and identity diversity can serve as a foundation for peacebuilding, with youth engagement playing a pivotal role.
The forum has gathered around 70 participants from over 50 countries. Over the coming days, events will take place in Baku, Khankendi, and Shusha, featuring panel discussions, interactive sessions, training programs, and cultural visits to Azerbaijan’s liberated historical lands.
Serving as a global platform for dialogue, the forum seeks to encourage multicultural values, strengthen interfaith understanding, and promote tolerance. It aims to foster respect for diversity as a source of peace and solidarity, while enabling participants to exchange experiences, initiate joint projects, and build long-term partnerships.
The first International Youth Forum on Multiculturalism was held in 2019 during the 9th International Multiculturalism Summer School under the theme “Baku Intercultural Youth Forum: Interfaith in Action.”
