The Baku Declaration
27 September 2008
We the participants in the Fourth Global Youth Employment Summit (YES Azerbaijan 2008) have assembled in Baku from 24-27 September 2008 to reaffirm the essential message articulated in the first YES summit held in Alexandria, Egypt in 2002, ad reaffirmed in Mexico 2004 and Kenya 2006. We are conscious that we meet at a critical and historical moment, when the world stands on the verge of major changes, and where everyone recognizes that profound changes are needed in the way we manage our affairs if humanity is to reap the benefits of the enormous technological advances we are witnessing, while avoiding the negative environmental and social consequences of an insensitive greed-driven globalization.
We stand committed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that this will require a special recognition of the role of youth. Youth are society’s most valuable resource, the recipients of its heritage and the very content of its future. Our development demands special attention to the reduction of unemployment, specifically among youth, and this will be best achieved by the empowerment of youth that they may become full partners in the crafting of their destiny. We want to change the development paradigm to a youth-led development where they will be the main actors in the design of the policies, programs and partnerships that will shape their future.
To that end, we rededicate ourselves to focus on the quality of education that youth receives, and to the manner in which they transit from school to the labour force. We recognize that these years of transition are fraught with dangers and filled with opportunities. The kind of choices they make in those years are critical to ensure that they adopt healthy lifestyles, and acquire the self-confidence to take on the challenges of the new world in which they will both compete and contribute. It is essential that our policies and programs provide second chances to those who make wrong choices.
We want to ensure that our youth have learned the skills required for continuous life-long learning, and acquired the social, interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills that will stand them in good stead as they design their own sustainable livelihoods, be they employed or self-employed, be it in existing enterprises or in new ventures.
This will not only require the creation of new market opportunities, new social innovations and new models of operation, it will also require that the content of the work that youth will do will fulfil their aspirations and help push their societies onto the path of sustainability.
This outlook must permeate the manner in which we evaluate our policies, our programs and the enabling environment created by existing and pending legislation.
From Baku, we shall continue the journey started in Alexandria, through Mexico and Kenya, towards the next summits in Sweden and back to Alexandria in the years ahead.
Together, we shall advance successful models of the past, such as micro-credit and development services, as well as harness the powerful technologies shaping our world such as Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), as we invent the new models of the future.
Together we shall ensure that the societies we are creating are human centered and environmentally conscious, dedicated to pluralism and social justice, respectful of cultural diversity, and that the opportunities they shall afford will be gender balanced and respectful of the rights of all.
Together we shall actively support a new world economic order, where trade shall be fair, environmental considerations shall be accounted for, governance shall be transparent, transactions shall be honest, and where our actions, linking local, regional and global, shall be driven by ethical standards adopted by the community of nations.
Only thus can we have harmony and peace in a multi-cultural world.
Only thus will we be able to create youth employment and self employment through entrepreneurship.
Only thus can our youth find fulfilment for themselves and purpose for their activities.
Only thus will we be able to ensure opportunities for everyone and solidarity for all.
This declaration was adopted by the Fourth Global Youth Employment Summit (YES Azerbaijan 2008) on 27 September 2008
- 2011
- UNESCO Heads of States Forum
- There is HOPE!
- Cultural Heritage - Climate Change - The teacher's role - Presentation of the book "The country of two suns"
- International Women's Day - The Educational Institute AKMI IVT honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
- The "Pancretan Association of Athens" honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Woman of the year 2011".
- Excellence Awards, Greeks who are Role Models for the New Generation.
- Presentation of the Greek publication of Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis' book "Labouring with the Challenges of Female Identity: Insights into Minoan Society".
- 2010
- Presentation of the book "Labouring with the challenges of female identity: Insights into the Minoan society" at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
- The Global Forum against human trafficking.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis - ELPIDA Children's Oncology Unit.
- Makistos smiles again!
- 83000 signatures for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- 10th Annual Meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors
- An event for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- International campaign supporting Greece.
- The international "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- First meeting of the Friends of the Aswan Heart Centre.
- 2009
- Global Campaign for the Climate Justice.
- Inauguration of the new Acropolis Museum.
- Declaration of the International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
- International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
- International Conference «Crossing Borders to Protect the Children of the World» and the Cairo Declaration.
- International Conference in Bahrain "Human Trafficking at the Crossroads of East- West" and the Manama Declaration.
- Summer Deaflympics - Athens 2013.
- 2008
- The Vienna Forum against human trafficking.
- Mothers - Olympic Champions of Love.
- Universal call for the Climate Change.
- The 4th Global Youth Employment Summit on the fight against poverty and unemployment, in Azerbaijan and the Baku Declaration.
- The appeal of Ancient Olympia.
- The “Alexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies” in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Great Lady of the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria".
- 2007
- 2nd Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
- The Chart of Paris against cancer.
- The first Oncological Hospital for children in Greece.
- Lecture of the H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak in Athens, Greece.
- Fairuz Concert in Athens, Greece.
- International Youth Forum for Peace in Sharm El Sheikh.
- Global Humanitarian Forum.
- Makistos smiles again.
- 2006
- Round Table " The Business Community against Human Trafficking".
- Fundraising Dinner to support the “End Human Trafficking Now” global campaign.
- The "Athens Principles" in Davos.
- International Center for Peace Studies.
- Protecting youth from drugs.
- The Multicultural Children Centre “Athina” in Belgrade.
- 1st Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
- 2005
- Helping the children of Palestine- Fundraising dinner in Cairo.
- The UN Millennium Development Goals and Civil Society.
- The Declaration of 22 Greek organisations on the UN Millennium Development Goals.
- 2004
- Exhibition of Traditional and Contemporary Handicrafts from Jordan.
- International Conference “Women in the Service of Peace” in Paris.
- International Conference “Women defending Peace” in Geneva.
- 2003
- 2nd European Conference of Legal Practitioners on juvenile matters.
- Exhibition "Breaking the Veils", Exhibition of women artists from the Islamic World, at UNESCO.
- Exhibition “The Unity of an Unique Monument: the Parthenon”, at UNESCO.
- The Mentor Awards.
- Awards to mothers.
- 2002
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina. A wonder of the modern world.
- Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
- Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders who change our world.
- Contemporary Societies - Multicultural Co-existence- The position of the child.
- The protection of the World Cultural nad Natural Heritage.
- 2001
- The child: victim of war and messenger of peace.
- 2000
- A Model Area for creative activities in the Municipality of Ano Liosia.
- Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
- Children: Symbol of hope, will, courage.
- The Meeting of Athens and Delphi on Children and Peace.
- The Declaration of Delphi on Children and Peace.
- 1st International Conference for the Culture of Peace.
- Early Childhood Resource and Training Center in Bethlehem.
- 1999
- By the side of mothers and children behind bars.
- Juvenile disappearance and abduction.
- The Hague Appeal for Peace.
- International Conference “Family and Children in the European society of the 21st Century” in Paris.
- Support for the children - victims of war in the Balkans.
- By the side of the earthquake victims.
- International Conference “Sexual abuse of children and paedophilia in the Internet”.
- 1998
- A three-point shot for a life.
- European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions".
- Family and the mass media.
- Presentation of the Minutes of the European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions"
- 1997
- International Conference “Priority to the Dignity and Safety of the children in Europe”.
- By the side of the children of Xanthi.
- Embracing children suffering from AIDS.
- The International Convention on Children's Rights and the role of the European Union.