Astana, 29 July 2026 – Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Ambassador Kairat Sarybay met with Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who arrived in Kazakhstan to attend the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multi-sport tournament.
The talks focused on advancing the youth agenda during Azerbaijan's current Chairmanship. Expressing appreciation to the Azerbaijani side for the excellent organisation of the Ninth Meeting of the Youth Council in Baku this June, the CICA Secretary General underscored that the debate tournament and robotics competition held on its margins had set a fine example of practical engagement among young people from CICA countries.
With the Games of the Future 2026 under way in Astana, the two sides discussed sport as an effective tool for bringing young people together. Noting the unifying potential of sport and Azerbaijan's experience in hosting major international events, Secretary General Sarybay invited the Azerbaijani side to consider an initiative to hold the first CICA Youth Sports Games.
A delegation of volunteers accompanied Minister Gayibov on his visit to Astana. During the conversation, the young delegates showed keen interest in the prospects for international exchanges and the role of volunteering in global diplomacy. Answering their questions in the context of the International Year of Volunteers, Secretary General Sarybay shared the outcomes of the recent CICA side event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, noting that the presentation of best volunteering practices of the Member States had shown how the CICA region contributes to global development and to support for volunteer initiatives.
The delegates from Azerbaijan toured the Headquarters building and visited the library and the museum, where they viewed souvenirs and gifts from the Member States, kept at the Secretariat as a symbol of friendship and of the cultural diversity of the CICA area.
