Founded in 2011 by Leyla Aliyeva - Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation - IDEA Public Union was admitted to membership in the Parties Conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), December 4.

Founded in 1994, UNCCD is considered to be the only international document uniting areas of sustainable management of the environment and lands. The Convention has been ratified by 195 states, including Azerbaijan. The Convention’s Secretariat is located in Germany’s Bonn city, which ensures exchange of experience and technology in the sphere of sustainable land management mainly among the developed and developing states.

Along with states, civil societies too may participate in the activities of UNCCD. Some 200 non-government organizations that have passed the accreditation process are members of UNCCD at the moment.

Accredited by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, IDEA Public Union is the first non-government organization to represent Azerbaijan in this Convention.