Eurovision Song Contest 2012: The winner is?

Final countdown to the Eurovision song contest, and despite what the naysayers had said Baku is set to host the show. Even though the journey to today was not all that easy, but lovers of Eurovision would be happy that the show goes on.

Speaking for myself, I’m part of the school of thought which agrees that the Eurovision is simple a song contest and there is no need to mix politics and entertainment. Actually the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr. Jon Ola Sand put it rightly stating “The Eurovision Song Contest is an opportunity for Europe to get to know Azerbaijan, and for the media to visit the country, get to know its culture and people.” I totally agree.

But notwithstanding, even for the political reasons too, it is good that Azerbaijan get to host the 2012 Eurovision song contest because of the new spotlight on the country. It opened up the country for scrutiny, and for good or for bad, foreign media can assess for themselves the state of the country. Moreover, the government is forced to give answers to tough questions, and henceforth nothing gets swept under the carpet. Like every new visible spot on the map comes with a total new focus, and I want to believe the government should expect this.

Preparing Baku as a befitting host city for the Eurovision song contest was truly mind-blowing. The speed the Crystal hall was built, the new roads, the hotels, the city beautification, and then the tons of internal promotions to sensitize the local population, all were very commendable. Although some of the process caused agony like the roads constructions that brought about terrible traffic to the city; but now that it is almost set, Baku residents are beginning to enjoy the new infrastructures.

Tourism would be boasted in Azerbaijan because of the Eurovision. Thousands of Eurovision fans are coming to Baku for the show, and from information I got, the tickets for the final show was sold out just hours after it went on sales. Obviously with a good impression that Baku is creating, and coupled with the curiosity to know more about Azerbaijan, I’m sure so many people would come back and some more would want to come after seeing the show on TV.

There will be great performers representing their various countries in this year Eurovision and Azerbaijanis are already looking forward to meet some of them. The buzz is there for the Irish twins –Jedward (Ireland), Anggun (France), Can Bonomo (Turkey), Loreen (Sweden), etc. All good songs and have a chance of doing well. The Azerbaijanis entry this year, “when the music dies” by Sabina Babayeva, is also very good and has got a good chance too.

No matter who wins it, history will be made in Baku. However, for me, the ultimate winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2012 is AZERBAIJAN.

Early Morning Bus ride from Masazir to Baku

Before putting the thought I have for today, I want to welcome you all to my blog. I promise I will be more active on this blog. Like I titled it, side talks Azerbaijan, I will be talking about anything that is of interest, concern to Azerbaijan. These random thoughts are my experiences living in the country. Some of them might be pleasant, and some not so. But you will like what you will read. So stick with me.

Ok, this morning I hopped into a Bus (No. 215) to Baku. I have to leave the car for my wife who has to drop the kids at their pre-school, run some personal and family errands, and then pick the kids from school; it means I have to catch a Bus to the work and other stuffs I have to do for the day.

In the Bus today, at about 7.10 am, I saw this beautiful set-up, a beautiful girl of about 7 or 8 years, siting on her dad’s lap, and having a pleasant sleep.

Trust me, riding the buses in Baku and its surrounding is no fun. Driving in Baku is a big headache. The population of the city is having a large demand on the available transport system. Lots of cars on the streets; and the morning traffics, it is killing. I have to leave home very early to make sure I beat the traffics. If I mistakenly get caught up in traffic, it means a journey of 15 minutes takes me not less than 1 hour. Not just the roads, but using the mass transportation in the city is a nightmare that’s why even though the trains are faster to get from one point to another, I still dread the metros for the congestion.

So, the sight of this beautiful girl on the dad’s lap got me thinking. Excluding the factors that we may not know, but If there were good transport systems the dad wouldn’t hurry the poor girl off from bed so they can beat the traffic; if there were adequate trains for mass transports, the girl’s father would have considered using it as it is a faster means to the city. Perhaps if the government can reprioritize, and provide school buses for school children, probably the girls would be sure that she get to school with her peers at the appropriate time. But even doing that means the problem with traffic must be addressed, if not, adding more cars to the road only increases the traffic problems. Or maybe the city planners should device special lanes for buses. So many questions.

YOUTH -POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT : DISPLACEMENT AS A MAIN CAUSE OF UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AMONG AZERBAIJANI YOUTHS AND HIGH LEVEL OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

Oral Presentation by International Eurasia Press Fund, NGO with Special Consultative Status of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Division of UNITED NATIONS. Speech made at the fiftieth session of the Commission for Social Development of the ECOSOC division, United Nations resumed for 2012 on the 1st of February and would be sitting until the 10th of February. The meeting that started on February 01, 2012 had various agenda for discussion. Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development and the 24th special session of the General Assembly, the delegation considered the report of the Secretary-General on the social dimension of the New Partnership for Africa Development; poverty eradication; preparation for and observance of the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2014; and mainstreaming disability in the development agenda.

PRESENTER: NICK NWOLISA; Head of Programs Development and International Relations Officer

The International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) would like to use this opportunity of panel discussion on youth poverty and unemployment to draw attention of fellow partners in social development concerning the severe problem faced by Azerbaijan youths in relation to poverty. As some of you may already know, or you may not know, Azerbaijan is one of the countries with the highest rate of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The war over the territories of Karabakh left hundreds of thousands Azerbaijanis displaced. One of the consequences of the displacement is that IDPs do not have same opportunity as other citizens of the country. Despite government and other international agencies effort to level the field and support equal competiveness, but because of the social, psychological impact of living as IDPs, it was impossible to achieve total reintegration of IDPs into the wider society. As long as IDPs keep having the mindset that wherever they are presently finding refuge is temporary, it deprives them the willpower to make significant socio-economic developments.

Azerbaijan government has continue to support the livelihood of IDPs, but the focus of the government is on providing permanent shelter for the IDPs that have lived in very deplorable situations. As of 2011, the Azerbaijan government has closed all IDPs settlements in the main cities, and has successfully relocated IDPs to new settlement. However, IDPs have lived for 20 years depending on handouts, and stipend supports from the government and international organizations. IDPs families have barely survived for 20 years; IDP families were mostly living within the poverty level of the society because due to the war, most adults lost their previous employment, and could not find equivalent working space in the new environment. Also because of the displacement, IDPs lived most times in overcrowded situations that are not adequate for personal development, or allow conducive situation for productivity.

For this purpose, most of the adults couldn’t find the opportunity to provide suitable education, proper skills development for their children to be able to be fit into the society. Even though the Azerbaijan government created pathways to support for children of IDPs in getting scholarships for higher institutions, but unfortunately from observations, only fortunate IDPs whose parents could afford to live sufficiently because of opportunity to find a decent job, it was these categories of persons that were able to take benefit from the government support. Over the period of 20 years, about 90% of the children from IDPs families have grown into adults as the second generation of IDPs, but still they are faced with limited opportunities.

Another main reason for the high rate of youth unemployment observed among the IDPs is because majority of the IDPs prior to the war were farmers. But because of the displacement, most of the IDPs abandoned their profession of farming; they couldn’t introduce these skills to their children because of the absence of farmlands in the locations where they took temporal refuge. Children grow with no knowledge of farming, with no interest of going back to farm. The result of the displacement is that there is a breakage in the chain and therefore, could not be passed on to successive generations.

IEPF has been working in the war affected territories of Azerbaijan since 1992. But in 2002, IEPF started working with certain categories of the war victims, the IDPs still residing in the war affected territories, and then the landmine victims. Through several actions target to these groups like doing vocational trainings, and also allocation of micro-credits, IEPF has observed a positive trend in the reduction of youth unemployment in the war affected territories. Presently, the IEPF Vocational Training Center has trained over 80 war victims, including IDPs and landmine victims, on several vocational skills like carpet weaving, agricultural practices, computer and advertisement designs, and bakery. In addition, the IEPF established Avrasia Kredit Ltd a non-banking credit organization, provides microcredits to these youths to start small businesses.

As long as youths continue to see themselves as displaced persons, especially for the case of Azerbaijan IDP youths, they will never have the equal opportunity for advancing their socio-economic development and unemployment can’t be eradicated while the target set in 1995 World Summit for Social Development would remain elusive. Nevertheless, actions implemented by IEPF can serve as model for reducing youth employment among the IDPs population.