Baku, 26-27 June, 2026 – Organized under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship by the Ministry of Youth and Sport in partnership with the CICA Secretariat, the 9th CICA Youth Council meeting and its accompanying competitions brought together more than 120 young delegates, engineers, and government officials from 17 CICA Member States.
During the opening address, Minister of Youth and Sport Farid Gayibov highlighted that youth development is a strategic pillar for Azerbaijan, where young people make up a significant 22.5 percent of the population. Under the guidance of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, the country consistently drives youth potential in education, entrepreneurship and volunteerism.
In his keynote address, CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay underscored that Asia’s vast youth population is a vital force for a peaceful and prosperous future. He emphasized that creative and energetic young generation is uniquely equipped to drive innovation, transforming complex urban challenges into green, smart and resilient solutions.
Building on this, Secretary General Sarybay emphasized that Youth Council stands out as one of the most dynamic elements of the CICA Human Dimension. He stressed that prioritizing youth empowerment is essential to the CICA’s institutional growth and its capacity to remain a forward-looking platform.
Secretary General Sarybay also highlighted the symbolic choice of Baku White City as venue for the event, describing this ambitious project as a prime example of environmental responsibility. He emphasized how transforming a former industrial site into a modern, people-centered district serves as a practical model to follow in achieving sustainable growth.
Chaired by the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Ms. Indira Hajiyeva, the official session on 26 June focused closely on youth engagement in sustainable urban development. This priority directly reflects Azerbaijan's systemic policy of involving the next generation in global agendas, serving as a direct continuation of major international platforms recently hosted in Baku, including COP29 and the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13). By fostering an inclusive dialogue, the meeting provided a dynamic platform to examine how young people can shift from policy executors to active co-authors of urban solutions, channeling their digital skills into green infrastructure, environmental protection and urban mobility.
Following the discussions, delegates adopted the Recommendations of the Youth Council aimed at enhancing youth participation in safe and smart urban growth across the region.
On June 27, the program continued with the CICA Youth Speech and Debate Competition and the robotics contest of CICA youth, held during the World Robotics Caspian Cup 2026.
CICA Youth Speech and Debate Competition was conducted following the Karl Popper international model. The competition focused on the opportunities and future of youth in the era of artificial intelligence and human capital development. Young delegates were divided into ten international teams, debating in affirmative and negative discussions. Team “Rupee-Manat”, representing Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka, secured first place in the Youth Speech Competition. Veronika Alimetova of Azerbaijan earned the Best Speaker award for her performance in the Debate Competition.
RoboChallenge, the CICA youth robotics competition, was held within the framework of the World Robot Caspian Cup (WRCC 2026). Young engineers and innovators aged 16 to 29 presented their practical projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, aviation, engineering, and automation. A special emphasis was placed on finding technological solutions for agriculture, demining and security, as well as addressing the decline in the Caspian Sea water level.
While in Baku, on June 26, Secretary General Sarybay held a meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Mr. Farid Gayibov.
Secretary General commended the leadership of Azerbaijani Chairmanship, including the efforts of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, in advancing youth cooperation by hosting the CICA Youth Council meetings and competitions for youth population.
The parties welcomed the strong momentum in volunteerism, noting that the Second CICA Volunteer Rally in Baku provided a tangible boost to youth and volunteer cooperation across the region. Building on this success, they reviewed preparations for the upcoming CICA side event on volunteerism and photo exhibition, scheduled for July 14 at the UN Headquarters in New York on the margins of the High-Level Political Forum.
During his visit to Baku, Secretary General Sarybay met with Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Khalaf Khalafov to review the progress of CICA’s ongoing institutional development under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship. The parties focused on the preparations for the 7th CICA Summit in October, as well as the collaboration on the draft CICA Charter and other outcome documents.
Full statement by CICA Secretary General at the 9th meeting of the CICA Youth Council “Youth engagement in advancing sustainable urban development” - https://s-cica.org/index.php?view=page&t=speeches&id=414
