Cooperation Forum of Azerbaijan Non-Governmental Organizations started working for the first time in the liberated areas - East Zangezur on June 24. The forum organized at the Zangilan Congress Center is jointly organized by the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations and the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum.

Ednews informs that the dear memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan was commemorated with a minute's silence at the forum. Then the National Anthem was played. Later, a video about the construction and improvement works in Zangilan was shown.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Executive Director of the State Support Agency for NGOs Aygun Aliyeva pointed out that the forum was organized within the framework of the "Year of Solidarity for the Green World" and said that about 200 employees of NGOs participated in the event.

Vahid Hajiyev, the special representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions, made a broad presentation about the restoration and construction works carried out in East Zangezur, and highly appreciated the first time that the forum of NGOs in the liberated areas was held in Zangilan.

Tural Aliyev, head of the NGO work sector of the Presidential Administration's NGO work and communication department, said that there has been a fundamental transition from quantity to quality in the field of work with NGOs in recent times. This is the logical result of the deepened reforms in the NGO sector under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and the healthy environment created. In the NGO sector, initiative, public control, accountability, transparency, and specialization have increased significantly. Today, there is no such priority area in the life of society and the state in which NGOs are not active.

 T. Aliyev emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev's messages addressed to the world against the new manifestations of colonialism created a great echo, he pointed out that the "Baku Initiative Group" Public Union, which was established only a few months ago, has become a world-renowned NGO in the global struggle against the new manifestations of colonialism.

 The head of the sector also noted that Azerbaijan, as a country that will host COP29, is actively working to ensure global support for small island states that are at risk of being submerged due to climate change.

According to him, during the last few months, 367 NGOs and social activists from 71 countries made various joint statements in connection with COP29 and expressed strong support for Azerbaijan's fight against global climate changes.

 The representative of the Presidential Administration also called financial transparency and discipline one of the most important points: "We once again call on Azerbaijani NGOs working with foreign donors to establish cooperation in this regard only on the basis of the relevant notification of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The era of service contracts in this field is behind us. Illegal settlements create serious legal liability. The "dark circulation" of grants is, in a number of cases, the attempts of foreign donors to infiltrate into Azerbaijan. We invite NGOs to be extremely careful in these matters."

 Stating that a number of foreign circles deliberately spread cosmopolitan, foreign and harmful ideological ideas at every opportunity, T. Aliyev added that Karabakh and Eastern Azerbaijani NGOs are at the forefront of preventing this conspiracy and attack against the ideological and moral values ​​that led to the liberation of Zangezur from occupation and are the basis of our historical Victory.

 Ramil Iskanderli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum, spoke and said that detailed analyzes were carried out to effectively use the opportunities of NGOs.

Umud Mirzayev, president of the International Eurasia Press Fund, Sahib Mammadov, chairman of the Executive Committee of the League for the Protection of Citizens' Labor Rights, pointed out that the transformation process is successfully underway in the NGO sector.

Later, within the framework of the forum, there was a panel discussion called "NGOs of Azerbaijan: results and goals".

The forum will continue its work tomorrow with panel discussions on "Environmental consequences of Armenia's mining industry" and "COP29 and Solidarity Movement for a Green World".

 12:19 p.m

 On June 24, the Cooperation Forum of Azerbaijan Non-Governmental Organizations started working in the Zangilan Congress Center under the joint organization of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations and the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum.

Panel discussions on the topics "Azerbaijani NGOs: results and goals", "Environmental consequences of Armenia's mining industry", "COP29 and the Solidarity Movement for a Green World" will be held at the forum with the participation of representatives from about 200 public associations.

The NGO forum held for the first time in the liberated areas will last for two days.