Distinguished Minister,
Excellencies, Young Leaders and delegates
It is my privilege to join you today to address the 8th meeting of the Youth Council of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measure in Asia (CICA). I extend my deepest appreciation to the Chairmanship of Azerbaijan, to the Minister Gayibov and his professional team at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan for hospitality and outstanding efforts to organize Youth Council meeting and events under its auspices in the coming days in the vibrant city of Baku.
Young people are not only our future, but they are also our present. At a time when Asia and beyond face complex, inter-linked challenges—ranging from climate change, digital disruption, health risks, to geopolitical shifts—it is you, the youth, who are uniquely positioned to bring fresh ideas, energy and cross-border solidarity.
In this regard, the CICA Youth Council, one of the first CICA advisory bodies established in 2014, provides a valuable platform to discuss these pressing issues. Since taking over the Chairmanship in CICA in December 2024, Azerbaijan in its Vision Paper placed youth engagement at the very heart of the CICA Human dimension. It underlines the importance of people-to-people contacts, education, culture, and youth cooperation as essential confidence-building measures.
Two activities have almost come to a logical conclusion, with the awarding ceremony of winners of CICA Essay contest and Artificial Intelligence in Art competition to follow shortly today. I’m taking this opportunity to express my gratitude to the young people from 24 CICA Member States for the active participation, as almost 600 works were submitted for both contests. Let me also express my gratitude to the juries from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh and Türkiye for evaluating the works. Submitted works demonstrated that young people are not passive beneficiaries—but active architects and change-makers for peace, prosperity, and sustainability in Asia.
Apart from the Human dimension, CICA serves as an effective mechanism for confidence building and cooperation on a broad range of issues, spanning Economic, Environmental, New Challenges and Threats, and Military-Political dimensions. CICA today is the only pan- Asian forum providing its 28 Member States with a platform for honest dialogue and decision-making based on consensus and inclusiveness. Over more than three decades of its evolution, CICA has established a number of advisory bodies, such as Youth Council, Business Council, Think Tank Forum, the Partnership Network of Leading Universities, and recently CICA Finance Summit and Women Council, as well as a special mechanism - the CICA Fund. The Azerbaijani Chairmanship has rightly emphasized the importance of building synergy between CICA advisory bodies. This approach reflects a holistic vision—where youth ideas feed into innovation, research, and entrepreneurship, creating a cycle of continuous regional renewal.
Dear colleagues!
This year’s Youth Council meeting is enriched with a number of events under its auspices. The “SDGs in Action” side-event captures precisely what our region needs: youth-led solutions for the challenges of our time. Across CICA Member States, young people are already leading projects in climate action, gender equality, education, and digital empowerment. The Secretariat stands ready to amplify these efforts, ensuring that youth-driven achievements are reflected in the broader implementation of CICA’s confidence-building measures. We must harness the energy and creativity of our youth not only to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, but also to strengthen trust, solidarity, and inclusion—the very foundations of the CICA process.
Last year, at the 7th Youth Council meeting in Astana, the first Rally of Volunteer Movement Leaders gathered over 450 volunteer- movement leaders from 21 Member States, and resulted in recommendations to include volunteerism into CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures.
In September 2023 in New York, CICA Ministerial Council adopted the Statement on Promoting Volunteerism for Sustainable Development, affirming the importance of volunteer engagement among youth in our region.
The dedicated section at the CICA website was created for the Member States to share best national practices in civic engagement. In July the CICA Secretariat launched the Project on Best Volunteerism Practices to highlight creative and impactful approaches that advance the 2030 Agenda and contribute to the upcoming International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (2026). Taking this opportunity, I encourage all Member States to share their national experiences and best practices with the CICA Secretariat. We plan to compile these in an e-publication to be launched at a CICA side event during the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York in July 2026, along with a photo exhibition on volunteerism.
Dear friends,
Young leaders represent more than a demographic, they embody the spirit of a stronger, connected, digital and sustainable Asia. As CICA evolves, you are essential to ensuring that this evolution remains grounded in human connection and shared purpose. I hope that during next three days in Baku new initiatives, new networks, youth-volunteer partnerships and cross-border projects will emerge and carry forward the CICA vision of peace, trust, cooperation and sustainable development.
Let me also wish all delegates a very successful participation in the CICA Youth Brainstorming Competition and a wonderful and enriching trip to the historic city of Shusha, where you will deepen your understanding, broaden your horizons and strengthen the bonds of friendship among you.
Thank you for the attention!
