The 2nd Forum of American-Azerbaijani Youth titled “EmpowerNext: Uniting Youth for Tomorrow’s Leadership” was held at George Mason University in Virginia, the US.

The two-day forum took place with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, organized by the Azerbaijan House operating in Alexandria, Virginia, and received organizational support from the American-Azerbaijani Youth Federation (AAYF) in New York. The forum was attended by youth studying at 37 universities from 23 different states, academics, prominent members of the Azerbaijani community, representatives of the State Committee, and staff from the Azerbaijani Embassy in the US.

The purpose of the event is to enhance the synergies among Azerbaijani youth living in the U.S, to strengthen their attachment to Azerbaijan and national-spiritual values, as well as to listen to and evaluate their suggestions and initiatives. Supporting the cultivation of leadership competencies and creating appropriate opportunities for them to represent our country with dignity abroad are among the main goals of the forum.

The forum moderated by Nigar Ibrahimova Vice president of Azerbaijan House in Virginia, and Nurlan Shukurlu president of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California, began with the playing of the national anthems of Azerbaijan and the United States, followed by a moment of silence honoring our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their homeland.

The head of the Azerbaijan House in Virginia, Sevda Tahirli, delivered a welcoming speech, expressing her joy at holding such a significant event. She noted that this initiative started last year, has become an important platform for the development, integration, and strengthening of connections among young people.

Elshad Aliyev Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, welcomed the participants, and provided detailed information about the Committee’s activities and implemented projects. He spoke about the diaspora policy led by President Ilham Aliyev and emphasized the significant progress made in developing and strengthening the Azerbaijani diaspora. Elshad Aliyev mentioned that one of the key directions of this policy is the special attention and care shown toward Azerbaijani youth living abroad. Deputy Chairman also emphasized that the importance of organizing such events to allow our youth to express themselves in the social, cultural, and intellectual spheres in America. He added that our compatriots while integrating into American society, also preserve their national identity. He pointed out that the forum created many opportunities for diaspora youth and thanked everyone especially the Azerbaijan House in Virginia, for organizing the forum.

Toghrul Aliyev First Secretary of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the U.S, spoke about the importance of the forum. He stated that Azerbaijani youth in the USA not only preserve and promote the culture, language, and values of their homeland, but also benefit from the opportunities, knowledge, and experience offered by the country they live in. He indicated the importance of such meetings in establishing new friendships and strengthening solidarity.

In her speech, Leyla Aslanova head of the American-Azerbaijani Youth Federation, highlighted the importance of the forum, the benefits of the discussions held, and wished success to the participants.

Sevil Suleymani George Mason University professor,  welcomed the participants and expressed her satisfaction that such a significant event was held at her university.

Kanan Mammadov, the organizer of the 1st Forum of American-Azerbaijani Youth, was awarded a certificate of the Committee.

After speeches, the participants joined two panel discussions. The first panel titled “Wisdom Meets Ambition: Empowering Youth Through Generational Collaboration” focused on the intergenerational experience’s role in youth development. Later, opportunities for global cooperation were highlighted in the panel titled “Building Global Connections: Empowering Youth Across Borders”.

In the second half of the day, a training on “Building Individual Resilience as a Youth Leader” was held.

The artistic part featured performances by kamancha player Toghrul Orujov and DJ Zaur, followed by the traditional "Yalli" dance symbolizing national unity.

On the second day, the training titled “Your Career Journey: Purpose, Goals & Growth” was led by Leyla Novruz professional coach, head and founder of “Love Your Life. Transformative Coaching” company. The young people gained practical skills in goal setting, personal development, and long-term strategy with interactive activities and discussions. During the training, ideas were exchanged on various topics, and the young people's questions were answered.

Additionally, an intellectual brain ring was held under the leadership of Nurlan Shukur, president of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California. more than 30 young people across six teams showcased their knowledge and skills in the competition which mainly featured questions about our country. The “4+1” team won the final.  Gifts were presented to the winning team.

Throughout both days of the forum, videos were shown about diaspora projects such as “Together”, “History Lesson”, “Karabagh is Azerbaijan”, and the “Diaspora Youth Summer Camp.”

It should be noted that the American-Azerbaijani Youth Forum was held for the first time in 2024, at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The forum played an important role in growth in civic engagement, expanding networking opportunities, and developing in organizational skills among Azerbaijani youth.