While the IFLRY seminar is Budapest is about to end, and while Jacob and Paola are in Cancun to attend the Liberal International congress, I am myself in Baku, Azerbaijan. Perhaps less illustrous than Budapest, and definitely less touristy than Cancun, a 100+ representatives of youth organizations have gathered here to attend the Council of Members of the European Youth Forum. The European Youth Forum is an organization composed of many European national youth councils on the one hand, and European and international youth organizations on the other. This is not the time and the place to explain exactly how history has given birth to such a rather odd membership body, and actually, I don't really understand either.

Nevertheless, I'm here to represent IFLRY and to do all the things that go with such congresses: electing bureau members, adopting policy papers, networking, drinking coffee, debating on resolutions, etcetera. What makes this event probably more exciting than others is that it is hosted by 'Nayora', which is the National Youth Council of Azerbaijan and member of the EYF, but also very closely affiliated to the Azeri government. For all those that are not too familiar with its politics, just know that independent journalists are harrassed or even murdered, elections are neither free nor fair, and more or less only political cronies of the government or those close to the government have access to government resources. So, the setting for us (IFLRY) as freedom & human rights 'fighters' was excellent. Below, you'll find a statement/question for the Azeri minister of youth and sport. Moreover, when a government official read out a statement of the Azeri president, both me and Dalia from LYMEC (and a few other organizations) taped our mouths, symbolizing the very limited freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. Moreover, though not related to the statement or the action, Dalia and I are meeting with our Member Organization 'Azerbaijan Liberal Youth Association' (ALYA) and the Musavat Party Youth. Tomorrow we are even having a little seminar with ALYA. In other words: I am definitely not sitting quiet here!

President of NAYORA, Minister of Youth and Sports, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Thanks for the invitation to Baku and I would like to congratulate you with the first steps of youth participation in Azerbaijan. However, wouldn't you agree that, until you are able guarantee the freedom of speech and safety of independent journalists, who are currently harassed or even murdered regardless of their importance for presenting alternative views, until you hold truely free and fair elections, and not the rigged ones as all the previous until subsidies for youth organizations are not distributed on the basis of political affiliation to the regime, the development of young people through participation will remain shallow? My position is that, as long as you fail to guarantee the above, all you work will ultimately, unfortunately, be in vain, and all that you will create is a group of submissive followers of a darm regime that doesn't dare to confront the light of democracy, freedom and true youth participation.