During the period of 27-28 June, 2013, Ms. Valentina Albu, coordinator of the BSCSIF Research Centre in Bucharest, was invited to speak as guest panellist at the Young Leaders of the Black Sea Forum, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the aegis of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).
On 27th of June, the Forum’s topics of discussion were divided in two panels such as “The Black Sea region: territorial conflicts and their threat to regional security” and “Perspectives of International Relations of the Youth of the Black Sea Region”. Within the second panel, Ms. Valentina Albu held a presentation entitled “Youth as the main actors of integration in Black Sea region”, underlying the main obstacles, priorities and needs of young intellectuals living in the wider Black Sea region, such as: education, creating new jobs, participative democracy and promoting entrepreneurship skills, as well as, the dynamic initiatives and active implication of young intellectuals in international projects meant to promote partnerships and cooperation in the Black Sea region.
During the Forum, issues such as frozen conflicts and their threat to regional security, and perspectives of international relations of the youth of the Black Sea region were on the agenda of this event.
At the Forum participated young representatives of NGOs from 11 member countries of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) such as: Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Albania, Greece, Azerbaijan, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
On the 28th of June, the foreign participants at the Forum had a meeting with the Azerbaijani Youth Foundation under the President of Azerbaijan Republic, and later on enjoyed a tour of Baku.
The event was organized by the Azerbaijani-American Youth Social Association in partnership with the Black Sea NGO Forum and with the support of the Azerbaijan Youth Foundation.
