The primary objective of commemorating this day is to raise public awareness regarding the plight of missing individuals whose fundamental rights have been violated. On the International Day of Missing Persons, member states, in collaboration with numerous international and non-governmental organizations, organize diverse events aimed at drawing universal attention to the predicament of the missing.
In light of recent information from the State Commission on Prisoners and Missing Hostages of the Republic of Azerbaijan, it has come to our attention that during the First Karabakh War, Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan resulted in the registration of 3,890 Azerbaijani citizens as missing persons. This distressing tally comprises 3,171 military personnel and 719 civilians, including 71 minors, 267 women, and 326 elderly individuals.
Out of the total number of missing persons, 872, including 29 children, 98 women, and 112 elderly citizens, were either taken hostage or remained in the occupied territories. Subsequent to their release, former prisoners and hostages confirmed sightings of these individuals still alive. However, throughout the entire conflict, Armenia concealed information about these persons from international organizations and refrained from providing insights into their subsequent fates...

Approximately 90 NGO representatives participated in this three-day training program, which covered various essential topics, including "Data collection and analysis," "Project preparation and implementation stages: Logframe (Logical framework) preparation and design," "Project strategy preparation," "Project monitoring and evaluation," and familiarization with the "road map" for expanding international activities.
Trainers Anar Valiyev, the Dean of ADA University, and international expert Vusal Behbudov expressed their gratitude to the participants for their high motivation and active engagement.
Participants also shared their feedback on the program, highlighting how the acquired knowledge and skills will significantly enhance their methodological support, enabling more efficient organization of their work.
The State Support Agency for NGOs presented certificates to those participants who successfully completed the training.
It's worth noting that the "I Development and Exchange Program of NGOs" took place in Mingachevir last year, with a total of 218 NGOs participating in these programs held across different regions.
The Agency remains committed to providing continued state support for the development of NGOs, aligning with the specific needs of regions and public unions.

August 26 holds special significance as it marks the anniversary of the transfer of Lachin City under Azerbaijani control. On August 26, 2022, the Azerbaijani Army established its presence in Lachin City, also bringing the villages of Zabukh and Sus under its jurisdiction. The transfer of the Lachin region to Azerbaijan, as outlined in the tripartite declaration following the Victory in the Patriotic War, occurred on December 1, 2020. However, due to the Lachin corridor passing through the city of Lachin, it remained temporarily under the oversight of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. Per the provisions of the Tripartite Statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia on November 10, 2020, agreements were set to be reached within three years regarding the construction of an alternative route to the Lachin corridor. Azerbaijan expeditiously finalized these agreements, confirmed the new road's route with the Russian side, and promptly initiated construction. Remarkably, in just one year and eight months, the construction of the alternative road reached completion. Consequently, on August 26, the Azerbaijani Army took full control of Lachin City, along with the villages of Zabukh and Sus. Worth noting is that on July 31, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree establishing city days in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In accordance with this decree, August 26 was designated as Lachin City Day.

The information released by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the content of a telephone conversation between Catherine Colonnade, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, and Ararat Mirzoyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, on August 15, serves as further evidence of France's apparent disregard for the principles of international law, human rights, and its perceived stance favoring Armenia over Azerbaijan.

These sentiments have been conveyed through a statement issued by the West Azerbaijan Community, shedding light on concerns over France's alignment with Armenia's request. The statement emphasizes the perspective of the community in this matter.

Notably, the statement highlights France's alleged oversight of Armenia's actions. These include the expulsion of more than one million Azerbaijanis from their homes, the reported deaths of over 20 thousand Azerbaijani civilians, the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, the destruction of around 900 settlements, and the widespread laying of over a million mines rendering these areas uninhabitable. The community raises questions about France's sudden portrayal of itself as a champion of humanitarian values amid these allegations...

The event was attended by members of the Supervisory Board of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Israyil Isgandarov, Gunel Safarova, Ilgar Orujov, and Zaur Ibrahimov, along with Sabuhi Rzayev, Deputy Director of the Information and Citizen Service Department of the Ministry of Science and Education. Representatives from various non-governmental organizations also participated. The discussion involved speeches and interactive sessions on the specified topic.
During the event, comprehensive information was provided to the participants regarding the ongoing educational reforms in our country, the digitization of activities in the education system, the role of non-governmental organizations in these reforms, the current situation, and future prospects. Additionally, detailed updates on the progress of the relevant items from the National Action Plan were presented.
The event continued as a productive mutual discussion, with representatives from non-governmental organizations posing questions related to the topic, which were addressed by the participants.

The training sessions were organized and led by a team of experienced trainers, with the guidance of the Regional Coordinator from the Explosive Ordnance Awareness project. This project is funded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and implemented by the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF).