Heads of CIS Parliaments Welcome Participants of “Children of Commonwealth” Forum

The opening ceremony of the 11^th International Cultural and Educational Forum "Children of Commonwealth" took place at the Arbob Palace of Culture in Khujand, Republic of Tajikistan. Greetings to participants and organisers were sent by the heads of parliaments of the CIS Member Nations.

Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko highlighted the forum's contribution to preserving shared historical memory, cultural heritage and spiritual values, as well as strengthening friendship among the younger generation.

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Tajikistan Rustam Emomali welcomed participants to Tajikistan and emphasised the importance of youth dialogue, cultural exchange and international cooperation.

In their messages, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Alen Simonyan, Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Natalya Kochanova, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Igor Sergeyenko, Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Marlen Mamataliyev, and Speaker of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva noted the forum's role in strengthening friendship, mutual understanding and humanitarian cooperation among the younger generation of the CIS countries.

The Speakers stressed the importance of preserving cultural diversity, promoting dialogue and creating opportunities for young people to learn more about the history and traditions of the CIS Member Nations.

This year the forum is being held in Tajikistan under the theme "Globalisation and Friendship: Strengthening Ties in a Multicultural World".

Participants of the Forum were introduced to the culture of Azerbaijan. The country's presentation was prepared by students of Children's and Youth Development Centre No. 5 from Baku.

According to delegation leader and Director of the Centre Elza Orujova, the participants sought to familiarise their peers from the CIS Member Nations with Azerbaijan's culture, history, traditions and modern development.

Nazrin and Aylin Huseynli performed the song "My Azerbaijan" and other popular compositions. The delegation also presented the multimedia program "Azerbaijan - Land of Fire at Crossroads of East and West". The students spoke about the activities of their centre and recited poems by Azerbaijani poet Samad Vurgun.

A highlight of the presentation was a performance of traditional Azerbaijani dances. The program concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts among the participating delegations.

The same day, forum participants attended a cultural and ethnographic festival and visited an engineering platform dedicated to the scientific heritage of the East, from the works of Al-Khwarizmi and Ibn Sina to the foundations of modern robotics.

The Armenian delegation introduced participants to the culture and history of their country through a theatrical performance prepared by students of the Kvant Gymnasium in Yerevan.

The production guided the audience through key milestones of Armenian history, including the adoption of Christianity in 301 and the creation of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots in 405. The performance featured the voice of renowned actor Armen Dzhigarkhanyan.

The students performed Komitas' song "Orovel", while recordings of the famous duduk player Jivan Gasparyan accompanied several scenes. The audience also saw reproductions of works by Ivan Aivazovsky and Martiros Saryan, as well as traditional Armenian dances, including Yarkhushta, Kertsi and Papuri.

The cultural program also included a visit to the Khujand Fortress Historical and Cultural Complex, where participants learned about the region's rich history and cultural heritage. Later, the children attended the performance "I Will Return" at the Sughd Regional Theatre named after Kamoli Khujandi.