Dear youth,

I cordially greet you – the participants of the 5th Solidarity Forum of Azerbaijani Volunteers, congratulate you all on the occasion of the International Volunteer Day, wish each of you the best of health and success in your future endeavors.

The traditions of volunteering and kindness occupy a special place in the system of national and moral values of our people, which have stood the test of centuries. The volunteer movement, which began to gain momentum in our country in the 90s of the last century with the blessings of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, expanded and acquired a new meaning and content precisely on the basis of these very values.

Volunteering, which embodies the joint activity of citizens, society and the state, is one of the important directions of our youth policy today. Declaring 2020 as the "Year of Volunteers" in our republic is a manifestation of how much importance the Azerbaijani state attaches to the volunteer movement.

Our country currently has a systematic and dynamically developing volunteering movement. The contribution of volunteers in the social sphere, public services sector is quite evident. By working selflessly for the interests of the society, they are closely involved in the successful implementation of various cultural events, sports competitions, environmental and social campaigns, promotion and awareness-raising campaigns, and the delivery of public services to citizens. Thousands of volunteers honorably fulfilled their sacred filial duty to Azerbaijan during the 44-day Patriotic War.

Following the brilliant Victory we achieved in the war, a new era has already begun for our country. Our people demonstrate the same courage they did on the battlefield in the large-scale construction and restoration work aimed at bringing back life to our liberated lands. I believe that by mobilizing all your strength and skills you - volunteers - will be at the forefront of successfully implementing the Great Return. I wish you success in your activity towards this noble goal.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 5 December 2022