On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the "Könüllü DOST" program, the Social Volunteering – 2 Forum was held at ADA University.
The forum, organized by the " Könüllü DOST" program, was partnered with ADA University, the Azerbaijan Youth Foundation, and the Union of Azerbaijan Volunteer Organizations. Covering topics such as "Volunteering – Equal Opportunities, Social Justice, and Inclusivity" and "Sustainable Development Goals: Partnership for Sustainable Development", the event featured a performance of an inclusive composition titled "Unspoken Harmony."
At the opening of the forum, Anar Karimov, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population, highlighted that the DOST Centers, established by a decree of President Ilham Aliyev, provide the opportunity to deliver social services based on innovative approaches, ensuring citizen satisfaction. The advantages and international successes of the DOST concept, initiated by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, were emphasized, along with the importance of the "Könüllü DOST" program in expanding the volunteering movement.
Indira Hajiyeva, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Jeyhun Salmanov, Deputy Chairman of the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations, and Fariz Ismailzade, Vice Rector of ADA University and Member of Parliament, spoke about the significance of the ever-expanding volunteering movement.
Following their remarks, Farid Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of the DOST Agency, under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population presented the report on the 5th anniversary of the "Könüllü DOST" program.
The report highlighted that the "Könüllü DOST" program consists of the subprograms "Young DOST", "Silver DOST", "Corporate DOST", "Inclusive DOST", and "Distant DOST". Over the past period, more than 130000 applications were received, and over 5000 individuals were engaged in the program, the majority of whom were young people. The importance of the activities of DOST volunteers was also emphasized.
The forum continued with panel discussions as part of the "Social Volunteering – 2" Forum. The first panel, titled "Volunteering – Equal Opportunities, Social Justice, and Inclusivity," was moderated by Ruslan Mirzaliyev, Director of the Baku DOST Center № 5.
Speakers included Elnara Ansari, Director of the DOST Center for Inclusive Development and Creativity, Aytan Eynalova, Chairperson of the "Together and Healthy" Public Union, Azer Aliyev, Director of the Youth Development and Career Center, and Ravana Hashimova, General Manager of the Workforce Department at COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company.
The second panel, titled "Sustainable Development Goals: Partnership for Sustainable Development" was moderated by Solmaz Hasanova, Head of the Volunteer Affairs Department at the DOST Agency.
Panelists included Leyla Fathi, Head of the Sustainable and Inclusive Economy and Decent Work Division at the UN Development Programme, Maruz Azmammadova, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at PASHA Insurance, Zarifa Zulfugarova, Head of the International Relations Division at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Anar Bayramov, Head of the HR Department at McDonald's Azerbaijan, and Khayala Fatullayeva, Head of the Digital Economy Department at the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution under the Ministry of Economy.
At the end of both panels, a Q&A session was held.
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