An event and march under motto "Towards COP29: NGOs' Green Movement" was held at the Seaside Boulevard in Baku.
Civil society activists from nearly 150 NGOs participated in the marathon organized by the Agency for State Support to NGOs and the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan, with support from the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation.
The event began with honoring the memory of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Aygun Aliyeva, COP29 Organizing Committee member and Executive Director of the Agency for State Support to NGOs, stated that Baku will soon host tens of thousands of guests from around the world for the global event. Azerbaijan's NGOs are presenting a green thinking-based platform in the fight against climate change during the Green World Solidarity Year, sending a message of solidarity to the world.
Ramil Isgandarli from the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum, which initiated the COP29 NGO Coalition uniting more than 370 foreign NGOs from 80 countries, noted that participants share the excitement for COP29. He emphasized that the organized bicycle march promotes the use of recently built and expanded bicycle lanes in Baku and advocates for a healthy lifestyle.
Representatives from the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation, Gulnar Malikova, Red Hearts Foundation Vice President Yusif Poladov, and other NGO representatives emphasized that this march also shows public support for COP29.
Before the bicycle march began, five bicycles were gifted to children of martyrs participating in the "Towards COP29: NGOs' Green Movement." This represented a small model of cooperation between the public, NGO, and private sectors. Members of the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation, Support for Disabled Cyclists in Azerbaijan Public Union, and Wheelchair Users Public Union actively participated in the bicycle march, with inclusive participation arrangements made for them.
Marathon participants also visited the COP29 Information Center located in the Seaside National Park, where detailed presentations about COP29 were made.
NGO representatives who couldn't attend the march joined the event online from their locations and countries, sharing their results through an online platform.
In the end, distinguished participants were awarded certificates.
