The Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s Regional Development Public Union holds meetings with Lankaran and Astara residents

Established following the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Regional Development Public Union arranged, March 7, meetings in Lankaran and Astara districts, and visits were paid to villages and settlements to talk with local people. 

At the meeting of the Regional Development Public Union held in Lankaran city, Executive Director of the Foundation Anar Alakbarov gave information about the works done and projects implemented by the Foundation during the years past. It was noted that the objective of each of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s project is to serve the people. So far, 412 new schools were built within the framework of the programme “New School to New Azerbaijan”. Secondary schools and preschool education establishments have been built and basically renovated in the capital and regions and significant works carried out towards solving the population’s healthcare problems, improving ecological situation, within the framework of the programmes “Support to Education”, “Development of Children Homes and Boarding Schools” and “Development of Preschool Education Establishments”. Saying that over 50 thousand people have so far been examined and medically treated both within and outside the country, Anar Alakbarov emphasized that only last year, cardiac surgery was carried out on 152 children. According to him, the primary objective of the Regional Development Public Union, established in accordance with the task set by President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, is to do more projects in the country’s public-political, social-cultural life, building a civil society, and provide wide support to reforms carried out, including actions taken by the state, aiming at developing the regions. Saying that the organization will carry out works on strengthening public activity and public control, Anar Alakbarov invited everyone, especially the youth, to take close participation in the Union’s activities. He said collective appeals received by the Union will be examined in line with the Public Union’s work principles, however, the main objective is to build close ties between the population and state entities and organizations. 

Speaking later, chairperson of the Regional Development Public Union Mahammad Abdullayev gave information about the main objectives of the organization. It was informed that the activity of a new Public Union will cover all regions of the country, and actions will be taken towards studying and solving population’s problems in the field of science, education, healthcare, sports, tourism, ecology, social security, culture, development of entrepreneurship, and other issues.

The Public Union has also set a target to implement projects aiming at increasing world views and practical skills of young people deprived of parental care, those in need of special care, as well as those with restricted health condition, by creating necessary conditions for the youth to act jointly for the state’s current and future priorities, improving conditions for education, and securing their integration into the society. 

It was noted that the reason why a number of issues are not solved in time is the lack of communication between the state entities concerned and citizens, and that the Regional Development Public Union will act towards building such dialogue and solving issues. It was noted that the Foundation’s 12-year activity will be expanded in the regions further, and from this perspective, necessity of volunteers’ joining up around the organization and being active on social networks of the Regional Development Public Union were underscored.   

It was mentioned that the organization’s activity in the south region will cover Lankaran, Astara, Masally, Jalilabad, Lerik and Yardymly districts, and the regional centre will be located in the city of Lankaran. 

Chairperson of the National Assembly’s (the Parliament) Youth and Sports Committee Fuad Muradov said establishment of the Regional Development Public Union will play a significant role in peoples’ lives. He invited the district’s leaders and youth, Lankaran’s general public as a whole, to closely participate in the Union’s activity, and put forward proposals on the issues that they are concerned of. 

Speaking at the event, district’s leaders and youth talked about the projects implemented so far by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Lankaran in various spheres, as well as education and healthcare establishments and children’s homes constructed in the region. Proposals were put forward at the event, which took place in the form of a discussion, on the development of tourism in the district, supporting  talented youth, establishing rehabilitation centres for such issues as autism and other  social issues, creating new jobs, as well as early marriages, girls’ deviation from education in remote villages, computer technologies, formation of a human capital in regions etc.   

Then representatives of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation discussed a series of proposals received from villagers in Garmatuk settlement of Lankaran district and Siyaku village of Astara district. Expressing satisfaction with the establishment of the Regional Development Public Union, citizens thanked for this initiative President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva. They noted that the Foundation, holding meetings at the local level to discuss ways of solving the existing problems and developing regions, listening to citizens’ problems, also keep the ideas of national leader Heydar Aliyev alive. Representatives of the Regional Development Public Union visited also the children home named after Osman Mirzayev in Lankaran. The issue of renovating this children’s home within the framework of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s project for education was discussed here.