IEPF commemorates 20th of June as Refugee Day in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has joined the world to mark the world Refugee day as adopted by the UN in the Resolution 55/76 on 4 December 2000. The International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) has through its department on Refugees/IDPs matters and Community Development expressed it unrelenting commitment to the refugee actions.

The IEPF belongs to the Caucasian Refugee and IDP NGO Network (CRINGO Network). CRINGO is a voluntary network of, independent, non-commercial, non-political organizations, which work on the territory of the Caucasus with refugees, IDPs and other persons with a common status. This year, the CRINGO network divided itself to different activity directions to commemorate the Refugee Day; the division was to have better impacts not just in the Caucasus but in national levels. IEPF has chosen to involve itself with the health related issues of refugees in the Fizuli region of Azerbaijan.

On nationwide bases, IEPF has this year 2008 made good effort to make inquiries concerning refugees in Azerbaijan with the appropriate governmental authority. The IEPF through these inquiries follows up matters that relates directly with the refugees of Azerbaijan including recent refugees entering the republic.

Furthermore, IEPF has followed up necessary events concerning the various refugee groups in Azerbaijan especially with the Chechen refugee and the Iraqi refugees. One particular case was a report concerning a Chechen refugee that was imprisoned. The IEPF made adequate effort to ensure that the refugee was not imprisoned against own right. Meetings were held with the IEPF staff and the Chechen head representatives in Baku for good clarification on the issue. IEPF also regularly made inquiries concerning the situation of Iraqi refugees in Azerbaijan; through this inquiries, IEPF observed that the Iraqi refugees in Azerbaijan are enjoying good protection of their right and most of the Iraqis are having easy access to move on to a third country.

Azerbaijan has a record number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Although, credit to the government, most IDPs are having a new chapter of life through government initiatives in providing shelters, opportunities, health care and hygiene for the IDPs. However, more still need to be done for the Azerbaijan IDPs. Additionally, IEPF continues to support the IDPs through its various projects and organization activities. The IEPF affiliate, the “Eurasia Credit” supports IDPs through micro financing in different areas of business interests that include farming of all sorts, carpet weaving, bee keeping and household implements.

20th of June has been chosen as World Refugee day after a UN General Assembly ratification that allowed the adoption of the already widespread Africa Refugee Day celebration on this day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June. The Assembly therefore decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.

Note:
For additional information on the detailed activities of IEPF with Refugees and IDPs in Azerbaijan, check with the IEPF website.

International Eurasia Press Fund participates in ECRE and IPI meetings

The staff of the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF), Mr. Azer Hasret, joined all other members of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) for the Biannual General Meeting in Brussels, Belgium held from the 3rd of June to the 5th of June.

On another occasion, the Chairman of the IEPF, Mr. Umud Mirzayev and the Information Manager, Mr. Azer Hasret has taken part in the International Press Institute (IPI) World Congress in Belgrade, Serbia.

IEPF is a member of the ECRE and has long been representing ECRE in Azerbaijan and to a larger extent, the Caucasus region. The problem of refugees in this region is very obvious because Azerbaijan remains a strategic route for refugees from troubled Asia regions into Europe. IEPF has been working with refugees matters almost since 1992 after its creation; IEPF has been involved with the direct matters of the Azerbaijan refugees who can be classified as the Internally Displaced Persons.

In the BGM meeting in Brussels, the top on the Agenda was the (In) accessible Europe. ECRE has been working in advocacy roles for the European refugees and has since been conducting lobbies, research and surveys on different groups of EU refugees. In the past, ECRE has pointed out on the negative roles EU set-up bodies such as FRONTEX and RABBITS play in denying refugees their required rights in Europe.

The BGM meeting is always divided into core groups meetings and working groups so as to give a wider participatory of members’ organization. The topics on the core group meetings were centered on: integration; Asylum seekers; Resettlement; and Access. While the working group meetings were on: improving working as a network; communication strategy; brainstorm common media work 2008-2009; Refugees and Climate changes; meeting Valentino Achak Deng; and Asylum Monologues.

Among the many speakers in the BGM were the ECRE secrtary General, Bjarte Vandvik; Director of Communications European Policy Center, Ms. Jacki Davis; Federal Minister of Immigration and Asylum Policy, Minister Annemie Turteboom; Director of the Flemish Refugee Action, Mr. Pieter De Gryse; various Actors of Human Rights, etc. One Mr. Valentini Achak Deng also had time for his speech. Mr. Valentino is one of the 27,000 Lost Boys who fled the violence during the second Sudanese civil war (1983 – 2003). After a long journey through the desert the children first arrived in Ethiopia and then in a Kenyan refugee camp. At least 10,000 of them did not survive the journey.

The participant from IEPF representing Azerbaijan took out time to discuss peculiar refugees matter in Azerbaijan. His discussion with the ECRE Executives was primarily focused on how to assist Refugees in Azerbaijan with the various faced problems. Azerbaijan today has a vast diverse refugee group comprising the Chechens, Iraqis, the Afghanistan, Turks aborigines, etc. During the discussion period, the ECRE executives further briefed Mr. Azer concerning the planned visit of the European Union MPs to Azerbaijan and Ukraine; although at the moment there has not been a fixed date for these visits but it is hope to happen in the nearest date.

IEPF as a member of IPI is required to participate in the world congresses of the press institute. Furthermore the chairman of IEPF, Mr. Umud is also the National Director of the Azerbaijan National Committee of the IPI. Mr. Umud participated in this year World Congress based on a special invitation by the Executive Board of the IPI.

At the world congress, Mr. Umud took out time to elaborate the press issues in Azerbaijan; the positive strides made, the challenges faced and the areas needing attention. Also Mr. Umud took the opportunity to discuss further on hosing of the World Congress in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijan National Committee of the IPI had proposed to host the 2009 World Congress of IPI, but for a last minute decision, the hosting right was accorded to Finland. However, Azerbaijan is highly favored to host 2011 IPI World congress.

The meeting that started from the 15th of June and finished on the 17th of June had served as an avenue towards the discussions, analyzing, reporting, and experiencing, press issues as occurring globally. The World congress is always a great magnitude event because it involves the participation of a very large number of journalist, people of the press and friends of the media world.

Both the IPI World Congress and the ECRE BGM meeting was a good demonstration of the events from Azerbaijan on higher levels. The ECRE meeting has further ensured that there are areas that concerns refugees which needs international focus; whereas, the IPI World Congress has further pointed the International community on the press issues in Azerbaijan particularly towards supporting the development of professional Journalism in Azerbaijan.

Note:
For further acquaintance with the general outcomes from both the ECRE BGM and IPI World Congress, with also general activities of the ECRE and IPI, links to website can be accessed from the IEPF website on the right.

2008 Youth Exhibition in Baku, Azerbaijan

The youths of Azerbaijan gathered together on the 13th of June to participate in an exhibition organized by the ministries of youths and sports for youth organizations in Azerbaijan. The exhibition was a follow up of such that was held in 2007. The events of the past exhibition had made it necessary to continue in the framework.
So many youth organizations were present to display their done works, present activities and future activities. About more than a hundred organizations were represented with each trying to show its uniqueness through various displays on their tables ranging from booklets, posters, leaflets, printed T-shirts, banners, CDs, projected movies, etc.

The special guest of honor at the exhibition was the Minister of youth and sports of Azerbaijan the person of Mr. Azad Rehimov. He was present with the ministry officials; also the officials from the ministry of Education. Others were the people of the press, freelance journalists and photographers.

Among the participating youth organization was the Baku International Students Club (BISC). BISC was represented by some of its executive board members (Ayseba Mirzayev, Nigar Bagilova, Nick Nwolisa, Hamza and Nasir) with other of its active members (Gunel, Greg, Aytan, Elmir, etc). The members of BISC turned out in order to show the distinctiveness of BISC as the most active youth organization working directly with foreign students.

Baku International Students Club was established because there is a recognized problem faced by foreign students having their education in Azerbaijan. The BISC among many other objectives tries to assist foreign students with their various faced problems that may include but not limited to accommodation, communication, settling and integration. In order to carryout this function BISC has successfully hosted the foreign students to a series of events like the Khajaly conference (highlighting the true events of February 24th and 25th); Novruz bayram and New year party (enlighten the foreign students on the Azerbaijan national festival and the celebration of 31st December); trips to interesting places in Azerbaijan like Quba, Tartar, and Fizuli; as well as organizing various trainings workshops and seminars on various issues.

Just like BISC, there were other organizations that promote different goals in Azerbaijan. among these goals are the Nagorno-Karabakh matter, the sports, the gender issues, the cultural aspects, etc. these organization were also representing various international partners and members just like how BISC was representing the Erasmus Student Network.

The minister of youth and sports was full of admiration for the youths particularly for the good strides they are achieving for themselves through the various youth activities. At the desk of the BISC, the minister was full of admiration for the effort of BISC in bringing the true events of Azerbaijan to the international students having education I Azerbaijan. He was elated to learn that in Azerbaijan there are a large number of different nationalities from all continent of the globe coming into Azerbaijan to have their education. The minister observed it was a sign of good progress in good direction for the country and for the youth of the nation who will become the tomorrow leaders.

The event ended on a high with every organization interacting among each other in other to learn from one another as well gets closer acquaintance with the various activities directions. The essence of the exhibition was to create this kind of atmosphere where youth learn from each other, promote skills and character as well as developing self to become potential ambassadors of the country Azerbaijan.