President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the International Humanitarian Forum on “XXI century: hopes and challenges” in Baku

The International Humanitarian Forum on “XXI century: hopes and challenges” started at “Gulustan” Palace, in Baku, October 10.

President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony and the first plenary meeting of the Forum.

The Baku International Humanitarian Forum is an influential place where vast humanitarian cooperation issues are discussed. With rich traditions on cooperation between cultures, civilizations and confessions, Azerbaijan is an ideal place to hold events of this format.  An agreement on providing the Forum was accepted at the first Azerbaijani-Russian Forum on Humanitarian Cooperation held in Baku in January 2010.

Members of more than 20 states and international organizations including men  of culture and art, leaders of leading mass media and public figures took part in the Forum.

The Head of the State made a speech at the opening of the Forum.

At the end they were photographed.