In the 1990s, Azerbaijan and Armenia’s armed conflict continued, and more than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs. When I was 3, my family moved to Russia. At the time, Russia was in a crisis after the Soviet Union fell apart, with nationalists and neo-Nazis intensifying their anti-refugee and labor migrant movements.
I returned home at 12, but 14 years later, peace was once again broken. In September 2020, a second war began between the two countries. As a public activist and international security student, I believed that young people my age were more open to peace. However, this generation became one of the main actors of the war. In total, more than 7,000 soldiers were lost from both countries, with hundreds of civilians losing their lives as well. Many Armenians became refugees, my hometown was bombed for three weeks, the school I attended was almost completely destroyed, and many friends lost their homes. I was angry and frustrated, but at the same time, I kept reminding myself that our adversaries were experiencing the same trauma.
I have not given up hope that the next generation will be the ones to let go of hate and fear and shake hands with their adversaries. The territories that were liberated will be populated by both Azerbaijani and Armenians, and I believe this new challenge is an important opportunity for both countries to promote peace and coexistence. I commit to this and will work to encourage youth participation in peacebuilding. Previously in Azerbaijan, I co-founded the program of Youth Ambassadors, which aimed to bring the voice of young people into diplomatic affairs, and represented my country at the UN, the Council of Europe, and other international organizations. I believe these initiatives involving young people can impact the reality and soften today’s tensions in political affairs.
Having experienced conflict firsthand, I feel the need to make my voice heard in peacebuilding efforts and work to change today’s reality. My dream is a world where everyone lives in peace and everyone has a safe home. To achieve this, we need young diplomats, researchers, activists, and humanitarian actors to drive peace in our societies. But first, we must make peace among ourselves. The youth is not living for tomorrow; they are living for today. Together, let’s shape the peaceful world we want to live in—a place where everyone can feel at home.
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