Exchange Helps Azerbaijan Official Translate Passion into Action
Elnur Kalantarov, Chief of Press Relations at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, has long advocated for social integration of at-risk youth and adults with special needs. His deep commitment to expanding opportunities for vulnerable youth and adults compelled Kalantarov to participate in a USAID Community Connections exchange last summer, focused on public service marketing campaigns. By meeting with American professionals and observing their activities, Kalantarov learned tactics for raising public awareness through education campaigns. He returned to Azerbaijan prepared with the knowledge needed to transform his passion into action, and now provides adults with special needs and children from orphanages and low-income families with opportunities to cultivate their talents and skills.
Kalantarov immediately set to work, developing and leading several public-private partnerships with TACIS, the Ismayilli Regional Government, BE&G Insurance Company and a number of local NGOs. These collaborations shared a singular aim: to demonstrate the positive benefits of integrating vulnerable populations into society. One of Kalantarov’s initiatives, Explore Your Homeland, brought forty at-risk children to the small town of Lagich to live together, explore diversity, and perform for local residents. He also spearheaded the production of a music video performed by adults with special needs, winners of a triennial music competition hosted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The video was broadcast on television stations across Azerbaijan.
Kalantarov’s work has contributed greatly to progress in breaking down barriers between vulnerable populations and the wider Azerbaijani society. “People must work together to solve issues; it’s just too hard to do it separately,” he says.
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| At-risk youth perform at a school in Lagich through a program developed by Elnur Kalantarov, Chief of Press Relations with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and USAID Community Connections alumnus. |
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