Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the dinner reception given in honor of participants of the 77th Congress of the International Sport Press Association

- Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Dear guests.

First of all, I would like to welcome all of you to Azerbaijan and express my firm conviction that the days spent in Azerbaijan will live in your memory a long time. I am very glad that the Congress of the International Sports Press Association is being held in our country. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Association on the 90th anniversary.

The fact that this event is held in Azerbaijan is very important to us. This event will allow us the opportunity to introduce our country to you. You will spend a few days in Azerbaijan, in Baku and will see firsthand the history, culture, tradition and modern development of our country.

Azerbaijan is a country with a rich history, culture and traditions. At the same time, it is a young independent country. We have been independent for only 22 years. Over the years we have built our statehood, completed a transition from one system to another and achieved rapid development. We have had to change all aspects of our lives. First, we were not independent and free. But despite being part of other states for centuries, we have managed to preserve our identity, culture and traditions. At the same time, we lived in a completely different political system. It was a system that is completely different from the system that exists in Azerbaijan now. Therefore, the years of independence were transitional years, a period of the establishment of political and democratic institutions, a time of economic and political reforms.

I am proud to indicate that most of the economic difficulties have been left behind. Azerbaijan is a country with strong democratic institutions. Speaking to the press today, I want to highlight that one of our greatest achievements is the freedom of the media and the press. Free Internet is part of our life. Today, more than 70 per cent of our population are Internet users. The government also invests heavily to provide all cities and villages of Azerbaijan with broadband Internet.

Political reforms are underpinned by economic ones, as we clearly realize that in order to protect the independence and succeed, our economy has to be strong. Therefore, drastic economic reforms have been carried out. Eventually, more than 80 per cent of our economy is concentrated in the private sector, while 22 years ago this figure was zero. The rapid economic growth has allowed us the opportunity to invest in the social infrastructure, and this was one of our priorities. The construction of schools, investment in education and preservation of cultural heritage – all this was part of our agenda. And now we can say that the rapid economic growth in Azerbaijan has helped us to cope with most of the social and economic problems.

In the last 10 years, Azerbaijan has been the fastest growing economy in the world. This economy is still booming. Despite the years of financial and economic crisis, we have managed to maintain positive trends in the sphere of economic development. We have managed to reduce the unemployment rate to 5 per cent. We have a very strong financial situation. In other words, the years of independence have, above all, demonstrated to the people of Azerbaijan that when the fate of the country lies in the hands of its people, we can achieve a lot. Therefore, the strengthening of our independence, the continuation of reforms and the creation of a better life for our people are our top priorities.

In the years of independence, a lot has been done to develop sports and support the Olympic movement. Azerbaijan has hosted numerous international competitions, including world and European championships. Our athletes have achieved good results in the international arena. We first took part in the Summer Olympics in 1996. Then we won only one medal. In the latest Olympic Games in London, we won 10 medals, including two gold ones. We finished in 30th place among 200 countries. This is a manifestation of the development of sports and the attitude of state and public organizations to the development of sports.

Government and state agencies, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Olympic Committee, federations and clubs in Azerbaijan interact with each other. Therefore, in order to develop sports and create good conditions for our athletes, we act on the basis of joint plans. We have invested in the development of sports infrastructure which became completely rundown in the early years of independence. Today, there are more than 40 Olympic centers throughout the country, and this process is still ongoing. The aim is to create Olympic centers in all cities of Azerbaijan.

We are close to achieving this goal. The sports infrastructure is being restored and new sports facilities built Baku. This initiative, of course, requires a lot of money. Major funds are allocated for these facilities from the state budget. We are absolutely sure that these funds are being invested in the future of Azerbaijan, in public health and in the younger generation. Today, most of our athletes lead the way not only in terms of protecting the sporting glory of our country in international competitions, but also by their conduct. Therefore, moral responsibility of renowned athletes is an issue that is at the center of our attention. Fortunately, all our well-known athletes are good citizens and patriots.

Of course, when we as a country that has been independent for only 22 years hear our national anthem played and see our flag raised in world and European championships, our hearts are overwhelmed with pride. This can be understood. We will do everything we can to continue this rapid development in all spheres of our life, including the field of sports.

As you know, next year we will host the inaugural European Games. It is a huge responsibility and challenge. At the same time, it is also the opportunity to introduce our country and demonstrate that thanks to appropriate policies, commitments and a strong political will it is possible to conduct the first European Games in a country that has appeared on the political map relatively recently. We plan to conduct these games at the level of Summer Olympic Games. However, in this sense it is not as easy, because we have only two and a half years to prepare. For comparison, countries hosting Summer Olympics are allowed seven years. So we had three times less time.

However, we have a great desire, and there is great coordination and organizational work in store for us. I take this opportunity to invite all of you to participate in the opening ceremony to be held in Baku Olympic Stadium next year. In 2016, we will host the World Chess Olympiad. In 2017, we will play host to Islamic Solidarity Games. This is an indicator of our geographical location, our culture and present-day Azerbaijan. Within two years we will host European Games and Islamic Solidarity Games.

Azerbaijan is a Muslim country. But at the same time it is a country that has strong ties with Europe. The history of these bonds goes back to the 19th century. And today they have become even stronger because they are based on partnership. Therefore, Azerbaijan has a very strong tradition of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is our state policy, it is the lifestyle and mood of our citizens. We appreciate the ethnic and religious tolerance which is used by all citizens of Azerbaijan irrespective of their ethnic and religious roots.

I am convinced that during your visit to our country you can see the historical monuments and traditional sites belonging to members of different ethnic groups in Azerbaijan. I want to express my appreciation to the leadership of the Association for conducting this event in Azerbaijan, in Baku. I want to thank the participants of this event for being with us today. I wish you every success.

Thank you.