Baku: The 9th meeting of the Youth Council of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was held in Baku, aligning with Azerbaijan's 2024-2026 CICA chairmanship. The event commenced with the National Anthem, marking the beginning of discussions centered on youth engagement in sustainable urban development.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sports, and Kairat Sarybay, Secretary General of CICA, addressed the gathering. They emphasized the importance of collaboration, experience sharing, and the support of joint initiatives among youth within the CICA framework. These efforts aim to foster inclusive, innovative, and sustainable urban communities. A video presentation followed these speeches, highlighting key themes of the conference.

The meeting welcomed 120 delegates from 17 CICA member states, all focused on the theme "Youth Engagement in Advancing Sustainable Urban Development." Under the leadership of Indira Hajiyeva, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, the meeting progressed with speeches from delegation heads and discussions on the Recommendations Document of the 9th CICA Youth Council meeting.

In the latter part of the day, participants engaged in a training session designed to prepare them for the upcoming "CICA Youth Speech and Debate Competition." This session included training on debate techniques and the Karl Popper format, along with comprehensive information about the competition theme and debate topics.