Listening to the youth: Four First Ladies attend COP29 side event

The First Ladies Mehriban Aliyeva (Azerbaijan), Aigul Zhaparova (Kyrgyz Republic), Ziroathon Mirziyoyeva (Uzbekistan) and Emine Erdoğan (Türkiye), as well as representatives of a number of international organisations took part in the ‘Youth at the Forefront of Climate Action’ event on 12 November, held within the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29).

This year’s COP29 is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November, with representatives from nearly 200 countries in attendance. The annual summit is one of the platforms where climate issues affecting the whole world are discussed.

The ‘Youth at the Forefront of Climate Action’ event was dedicated to the fight against climate change in Turkic-speaking and Central Asian countries and the role of the younger generation in this activity, including involvement in these nations’ climate agendas in alignment with international obligations. 

First Ladies delivered speeches at the event. Then, young eco-activists from Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan gave presentations highlighting their respective countries’ environmental concerns and initiatives.

Furthermore, Dr Salim Al-Malik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the working session within the event.

ICESCO is actively supporting its mission to build young people’s capacities and skills through various initiatives and programs, especially during ICESCO Year for Youth, which aims to prepare youth for future professions and entrepreneurship in technology, innovation, and the environment. A recent initiative included a climate leadership training camp for youth from several Islamic countries.

After the conference, honoured guests visited the COP29 Solidarity Center in the Green Zone, a joint pavilion of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Türkiye’s Zero Waste Foundation. The pavilion highlights environmental initiatives regarding resource efficiency, waste management, and recycling, as well as includes interactive exhibits on education, healthcare, and social projects.

During their visit to the pavilion, the First Ladies watched a video of a tree-planting initiative in the Shamakhi district (Azerbaijan) involving youth and volunteers. In this campaign, more than 10,000 pine trees were planted as a contribution to environmental protection.