Symbolic key of European Youth Capital delivered to Ganja

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

A symbolic key of European Youth Capital has been delivered to Azerbaijan’s Ganja from the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Azerbaijan's second-largest city Ganja became the eight European Youth Capital and will focus on its 5 priorities, including volunteering, youth employment, social cohesion, active participation and education.

The bus caravan brining the symbolic key reached the central square, where thousands of young people gathered to welcome the guests.

Addressing the ceremony, chairman of Ganja European Youth Capital 2016 Public Union Elmir Valiyev congratulated the youth on the occasion.

The title of European Youth Capital 2016 will allow Ganja for the period of one year to showcase, through a multi-faceted program, its youth-related cultural, social, political and economic life and development.

Ganja, with its ancient history of more than 4,000 years, is home to four universities, four colleges and 34 student organizations and youth NGOs. Sport is also developing in the city, as now it has an Olympic Complex with its modern sports equipment and infrastructures. About 30 percent of the city’s population is young people.

Ganja, honored to be the first Youth Capital of Azerbaijan in 2012, is the first EYC city that represents a country outside the European Union.

The first European Youth Capital was Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 2009, followed by Torino, Italy; Antwerp, Belgium; Braga, Portugal; Maribor, Slovenia; Thessaloniki, Greece; and Cluj Napoca, Romania.

Locating some 375 km away from Baku the city is differ from its ancient architectural monuments.

The northeastern foot of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains is a picturesque place which has attracted many people across the centuries. This made the history of the region profound and captivating. Ganja is significant to the politico-economic and cultural life of the country since the earliest of times.

Ganja was also the capital of Azerbaijan, when the country first declared its independence in 1918, thus playing a leading role in the history of the country.

The region is famous for its nature, namely Goygol Lake and reserve. A large mountain lake surrounded by the mountains of the Lesser Caucasus was formed at a result of a devastating earthquake that destroyed the mountain Kapaz in the 12th century.

Despite numerous destructions during its long existence, Ganja has retained the appearance of a beautiful city with many monuments of architecture. One of the main features of the city is the Juma Mosque - Ganja central mosque.