The opening of the X high-level meeting of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre and Madrid Club was held in Gabala.

With the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora (SCWD), with the joint organizational support of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre and Madrid Club the opening ceremony of X high-level meeting was held in Gabala. At the meeting, the chairperson of the State Committee Nazim Ibrahimov in his speech brought to the attention the effective work done throughout the year by the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre. Noting that the organization of the event in Gabala is not accidental, and emphasizing the rapid development of the regions, along with the capital - Baku, N.Ibrahimov said that: "Implementation of today's event in Gabala proves once again that under the leadership of the President Ilham Aliyev not only the capital of our country, but also every town and village are developing." Committee Chairperson thanked to Director of the Library of Alexandria, co-chairperson of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre Ismail Serageldin for his services in promoting the heritage of the great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi. Then a video was shown in connection with the 875th anniversary of the birth of the genius Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi. In the video some passages of the Nizami Ganjavi's poems were sounded by the outstanding creative community of Azerbaijan. Speaking at the event, former President of Latvia, co-chairperson of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre Vaira Vike-Freiberga informed about the topics that will be discussed at the panel meetings in the framework of the event. Stressing the scenic beauty of Gabala, the former President said that the meeting of Madrid Club will be held for two days in this city. In her speech she also touched the issues of tolerance between nations, political processes taking place in the world. Speaking on the impact of violent extremism, former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok said that victims of terrorism are mostly women and children. He also talked about the influence on the global processes of a powerful stream of migrants into Europe in recent months, and US presidential election held. In his speech, the former president of Serbia, Boris Tadic, speaking about world politics change in accordance with the technological processes, the current state of democracy, said: "Today, the democratic principles and values vary according to the situations existing in the world. Today the main issue of concern to us is the regulations that should be adopted to prevent the growing violent extremism. We have to analyze the processes happening now in the world more than before." Director of the Alexandria Library, co-chairman of the International Centre of Nizami Ganjavi Ismail Serageldin said about the further expansion of the geography of terrorist acts in the world. The event, which will last until December 11, is attended by a total of about 50 well-known public and political figures, including former heads of states and governments from 20 countries, experts and scholars.