Closing Ceremony of “Model OIC-2023” program held in Baku

The closing ceremony of the "Model Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - International Relations Academy" project, which has been successfully implemented for 12 years by the Eurasian Regional Center of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF-ERC) supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was held at the Park Inn Hotel, Baku, Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The representatives of government agencies, members of Parliament, as well as Ambassadors of the OIC member states, the media, and various NGOs, attended the event. A short introductory video about the activities of Model OIC was shown. The first speaker, Mr. Vusal Gurbanov, Acting Director General of ICYF-ERC, spoke about the main goals and objectives of the project and highlighted the growing interest in Model OIC in recent years.

Deputy of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Farhad Hajiyev, Head of the Middle East and Africa Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Rashad Ismayilov, Deputy Chairman of the Small and Medium Business (SMB) Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Hikmat Mammadov, on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco in Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Mohammed Adil Embarch, Deputy of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Mammadov, and Head of International Department of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Ms. Narmin Ibrahimova delivered their congratulatory speeches and emphasized the importance of this program, its role in the formation of leadership skills of youth. They also expressed their best wishes to the students who completed the current Model OIC program.

Toward the end of the event, the representatives of the OIC embassies accredited in Azerbaijan awarded the students and teams representing OIC countries, at the Council of Foreign Ministers simulation conference for their distinguished performance. At the mentioned simulation conference, debates were held on protracted disputes in the OIC geography, and resolutions were adopted that represented the participants' ways of solving real-world disputes were adopted.

It should be noted that, during the International Relations Academy sessions held in April-May 2023, Ambassadors of the OIC countries accredited to Azerbaijan delivered lectures to students from leading universities of Azerbaijan.
The main objectives of the Model OIC project are to strengthen international youth cooperation in the OIC region, to enhance the knowledge and skills in diplomacy, management and communications. In addition to attending the lectures series for two months, the participants also visited the Embassies of the OIC member states in Azerbaijan to deepen their understanding of diplomacy.