The 2nd Baku International Humanitarian Forum has today started in Azerbaijan`s capital. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva and the Foundation`s vice-president Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony.

Baku International Humanitarian Forum is a high-profile global scientific and political platform for tackling the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, holding dialogues, discussions and the exchange of views on a wide range of issues of humanitarian cooperation.

With its rich traditions of cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and religions, Azerbaijan is the ideal venue for holding such events.

The Forum`s participants include world-renowned statesmen, Nobel Prize’s winners in various fields of science, leaders of influential international organizations, and representatives of political, scientific and cultural elite of the world.

The initiators of the Forum are President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The 2nd Baku International Humanitarian Forum will be attended by 694 delegates from 70 countries and 7 influential international organizations, including 10 former presidents, 11 Nobel Prize winners, five emeritus professors, 10 senior officials at the world`s leading international organizations, and 55 prominent public and political figures.

The Azerbaijani President addressed the Forum`s opening ceremony.

The Russian President`s Special Envoy for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy read out President Vladimir Putin`s message of greetings.

This was followed by a speech of president of UNESCO General Conference, Hungary’s Ambassador to UNESCO Katalin Bogyay.

Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova addressed the event via a video call.

ISESCO Director General Abdulaziz bin Othman al Twaijri also made a speech.

The event then featured the demonstration of a film about Azerbaijan.

Following the opening ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva posed for photographs together with the forum participants.

The Forum continued with panel meetings.