The Youth Leadership Program with Azerbaijan Finalists of Baku and Sumgait Azerbaijan Unite at the GYSD Novkhani Beach Clean Up

YLP finalists take part in
an ice breaker before the start
of the event 

The atmosphere was jolly at the Azadliq Metro on April 22.  Nineteen Youth Leadership Program with Azerbaijan finalists and alternates laughed, joked, and talked the whole way to their first-ever join community service event – the Novkhani Beach Clean Up! 

The event started with team getting to know each other better through icebreakers and teambuilding events.  Youth Leadership Program with Azerbaijan Program Director in Azerbaijan Ramina Murshudova led the event with the help of FLEX Alumni Coordinator Kristina  Stepnova ’10, Elefser Rasulzada '11, and Javad Hajiev'11. 

Team Work

As a team, the YLP with Azerbaijan participants slapped on their work gloves, put a few bags in their back pockets and were ready to clean up the beach.  Participants passed the time by making up stories about being present-day Azerbaijani Cinderellas who lost not only shoes but also their toothbrushes, hand creams, slides and sponges – some of the odd items that they picked up on the shore of the beach!  After two hours, over 20 huge bags of trash were collected. 

Helping the community and beautifying the beach!

To congratulate themselves on their first joint service project, participants enjoyed lunch on the beach (and were sure to pick up the trash they made after themselves!) The GYSD event ended with an interesting activity where all of the participants made a web out of string.  Everyone passed on the string and shared their impressions of the day’s events and their hopes and wishes for things to come with the Youth Leadership Program with Azerbaijan exchange. 

Besides the obvious positive result of cleaning up a Baku beach, the event helped participants get to know each other and helped to make them understand the needs of their communities and country.  Participants hope that events such as this one will interest Azerbaijani youth and more people will join in on helping the country to be clean, beautiful and safe.

YLP finalists from Baku and Sumgait  at the
GYSD Novkhani Beach Clean Up

Thank you to all of the YLP with Azerbaijan participants who helped to make this blog post happen, mainly – Saleh Jafarov and Sayyara Yusifova!