Baku, Azerbaijan - On March 1st, 2024, the Center for Strategy and Cultural Diplomacy (CSCD) successfully hosted the Young Public Diplomacy Summit Baku 2024, in collaboration with esteemed partners such as the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum - Eurasia Regional Center (ICYF-ERC), EduHub, and the Pakistan Embassy in Azerbaijan. This significant event took place at the Azerbaijan University of Languages (ALU) and was attended by a diverse audience, including a significant number of students.

Hassan Mehar, Chairman of CSCD, welcomed scientists, experts, local students, and event partners, emphasizing the event's role in fostering cultural understanding among nations, while the Executive Director of the CSCD, Malik Tehseen, along with the Head of Operations, RehanJaved, and Head of Programs, Anum Javed, expressed their belief in the usefulness of the discussions and presentations that will be held within the framework of the summit.

Distinguished guests, including JalaGaribova, Vice Rector for International Affairs at Azerbaijan University of Languages, and Novruz Mammadov, former Prime Minister of Azerbaijan and Vice Rector for Scientific Issues of ALU, graced the occasion with their welcome remarks and encouragement for the youth participants.

A pivotal moment in the summit was the enlightening keynote speech by Bilal Hayee, Ambassador of Pakistan to Azerbaijan, who shared valuable insights on Public Diplomacy in the contemporary world. A subsequent panel discussion further enriched the discourse on this crucial subject.

Vusal Garbanov, Acting Director General of ICYF-ERC, extended a warm welcome and showcased the organization's youth-centric initiatives. Chingiz Gasimzada, representing ICYF-ERC, delivered a presentation that resonated with the summit's theme.

Engaging lectures were delivered by renowned speakers, including Hukuma Abbasova's discourse on Post-War Azerbaijani Society, Gulnara Aslanbayli's insights on Youth Leadership and Advocacy in Cultural Diplomacy leading to Business Diplomacy from AmCham, and Orkhan Masimov's discussion on Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship in the Third Sector from EduHub.

The summit concluded on a celebratory note with a captivating music performance by the Seyyah band. Participants had the opportunity to share their perspectives, adding depth to the dialogue.

It should be noted that, over 15 foreign young people from 10 took part in the summit.

With an overwhelming turnout, the Young Public Diplomacy Summit Baku 2024 underscored the transformative potential of cultural diplomacy in empowering youth and fostering global understanding.