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EECCA AND SWISS FUNDED Public Awareness and Inventory Activities in Azerbaijan: ROLE OF YOUTH environmental VOLUNTEERING
Gulchohra Aliyeva, Shahin PanahovUNEP-ECORES National Committee, Baku, Azerbaijan
Nowadays, the volunteering activity is gaining an equal appreciation in the society, what stimulates motivation of youth to join environmental initiatives. The pursuit of personal development coupled with sense of altruism generate durable rewards such as acquisition of new skills and knowledge through the practical work, development of personal network and social interactions in the course of the projects. This helps them to shape future interests and career perspectives. The successful development of the environmental projects makes volunteering activity a way of leisure and social communication. The engagement of youth into promotion of environmental awareness in Azerbaijan is one of the crucial factors of the development of society, and better understanding of people of environmental phenomena in rapidly growing new independent country.
In July 2011, UNEP-ECORES NatCom, jointly with International Resources Complex (IRC) of the University of Languages of Azerbaijan, State Phytosanitary Control Service (SPCS) of the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, and the Lancaster Environment Centre of Lancaster University (UK), have received grant for implementation of awareness raising activities and detailed inventory of obsolete pesticide stocks in Azerbaijan within UN FAO/GEF regional project “Capacity Building on Obsolete and POPs Pesticides in EECCA countries” (EECCA project) and Tox-Care in Central Asia project of the Northwest University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
The project envisaged organization of the public awareness activities in the regional centres of Azerbaijan through collaboration with local authorities and population, development of the network of stakeholders for pesticide action in the rural areas, publication of information material, launching youth awareness campaigns, and the detailed inventory of obsolete stocks in the country for inclusion to the Pesticide Stock Management System (PSMS) developed by UN FAO.
One of the main features of these projects has become involvement of youth volunteers, student of Baku State University, into the pesticide awareness activities in Azerbaijan, including Secretariat activities and organization of the 11th International HCH and Pesticide Forum on 7-9 September 2011. UNEP-Ecores NatCom, a non-government environmental organization based in Baku, has a record of recruiting young and talented students to various environmental projects since 1994, and promoting better integration of youth into environmental activities and dissemination of environmental information. Our volunteers have comprised a wonderful team of talented and skilled members, handling various environmental activities with great enthusiasm.
Leyla Mammadova, Nigar Amirova, Nigar Babayeva, Murad Asadov and Melek Memmedli – these are the heros of our pesticide activities in Azerbaijan, who contributed to the organisation and promotion of youth awareness campaigns in Azerbaijan. Applying great creativity, they organised a number of summer get-togethers with other youth NGOs where they discussed how they can promote pesticide awareness in the society, what would be the challenges, and how they consider they would overcome them.
Here is brief information about our volunteer team:
Nigar Babayeva, 19, an undergraduate student of Baku State University, doing her major in World Economy. She has successfully participated in the youth projects of NATO in Azerbaijan, and a participant of the first group in Azerbaijan on cheerleading. Nigar's hobbies are rhythmic gymnastics and dancing. She is a winner of national dances contest in Turkey, Eskisheher, in 2007. Nigar had internship at World Bank’s Baku office for three months. She has attended environmental volunteering and project fundraising trainings organised by UNEP-ECORES NatCom for 4 months. Nigar organised meetings with other youth NGOs in Azerbaijan and summer beach campaigns for protection of Caspian Seal (Phoca Caspica) which are at the verge of distinction due to the POPs and oil pollution in the Caspian Sea. Her presentation during the 11th International HCH and Pesticide Forum has driven lots of attention from international experts. Nigar is working on the project to develop youth activism for protection of Caspian Seal from POPs pollution.
Melek Mamedli, an undergraduate student of Baku State University in International Relations and International Law. Her major is World Economics. Melek has been practicing at World Bank’s office in Baku for three months. She has taken environmental volunteering and project fundraising trainings organised by UNEP-ECORES NatCom for 4 months. Melek was one of the volunteers of the Secretariat of 11th International HCH & Pesticides Forum, which was held on 7-9 September in historical city of Gabala in Azerbaijan. She provided presentation about projects which ECORES has implemented in Azerbaijan.
Murad Asadov, currently a Postgraduate student of International School of Hospitality Management, Les Roches Marbella, Spain. In 2005 he was elected a Student of the Year of Environmental Lyceum ARAZ. In 2010-2011 Murad represented Azerbaijan in South Caucasus Youth Intellectual Contest which was held in Batumi (Georgia). A winner of several local and regional competitions of intellectual clubs, Murad is a distinguished graduate of Baku State University. He was a great team member in the organization of 11th International HCH and Pesticide Forum and running youth awareness campaigns. Murad’s hobbies are swimming, Zen Buddhism, books of American Humanists, French Classics of 19th century, travelling. “Volunteer work at ECORES was my first experience in international environmental project. I enjoyed it very much.I learned practical skills of project management, communication and working in a team” – sharing Murad his experience with Ecores.
Nigar Amirova, an undergraduate student of Baku State University in International Relations and International Law. Her major is World Economics. Nigar’s interests are reading and photography. She loves travelling and looks forward to continue her education in Europe or USA. Nigar is leading hip-hop dance group. Great team member, target-oriented, she enjoys working in social sphere and help people. “I always have to do something because then I feel myself confident. While volunteering I learnt many new skills, such as communication, time-management and working in a team. I think I gained great experience,” –says Nigar, who was a participant of Salto - Youth and European Commission's Youth In Action Programme 2011.
Leyla Mammadova, a graduate of Baku State University, BA in International Relations. Currently pursuing her master's degree in Economics at the Università degli Studi di Siena (Italy). Never gets tired of self-education, books and music. Leyla is a great communicator and team leader, possessing skills of project management.
