By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The 4th Islamic Solidarity Games will officially kick off on Friday with a keenly-anticipated Opening Ceremony at Baku's Olympic Stadium.

The city will welcome the world with a spectacular Opening Ceremony that tells a universal story of peace and hope, and celebrates the enormous contribution Islamic civilization has made to everything around us.

Springing from the age-old culture of Azerbaijan, it follows a little girl and her kite on an inspirational journey of knowledge and discovery.

The Games promise to start with a bang, then, as Azerbaijan aims once again to display its capacity to host elite-level sporting events, and take another step towards the dream of one day welcoming the Olympic Games after two failed bids.