The “Azerbaijani Diaspora Youth: Unity and Development Forum” dedicated to February 2 – Azerbaijani Youth Day is being held in Istanbul, Turkey.
The two-day forum is organized through the partnership of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Federation of Turkish-Azerbaijani Associations (TADEF). It brings together 29 Azerbaijani youth and diaspora activists representing friendly nations from 28 countries.
The forum aims to define the future activities of Azerbaijani Diaspora Youth (ADY), to network Azerbaijani youth living and studying abroad, and to engage them in diaspora initiatives.
At the opening ceremony, participants included Valeh Hacıyev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora; Şamil Ayrım, member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) and head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Friendship Group; Abdullah Uçqun, district governor of Bağcılar, Istanbul; Ədalət Turan, head of TADEF; board members of the organization; leaders of diaspora organizations in Istanbul; as well as celebrated artists such as Əlixan Səmədov, Məlahət Abbasova, Yaşar Zeynalov, and Teymur Rzayev.
During the forum, training sessions will be held on topics such as “Modern Diaspora Youth: Organization, Networking, and Leadership”, “Diaspora and Lobbying”, and “Media and Digital Engagement of Diaspora Youth”. Panel discussions will also cover “Preservation and Promotion of the Azerbaijani Language”, “Azerbaijan’s Foreign Policy: Youth Participation in Public Diplomacy”, and “Future Cooperation Opportunities and Joint Projects”.
Additionally, the forum will discuss the ADY Action Plan for 2026–2028, introduce new coordinators, and host cultural programs.