The 6th Global Baku Forum on the theme “Bridging Gaps to Create Inclusive Societies” kicked off in Baku on March 15.

Kanal24 reports that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is making a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum.

Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, former vice president (1992-2000) of the World Bank Ismail Serageldin, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and former president (1999-2007) of Latvia Vaira Vike Freiberga will also address the opening ceremony.

The messages from Italian President Sergio Matarella, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Pope Francis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be read out.

Panel sessions, titled “Power: Big Powers and the Rest”, “Re-emerging Powers”, “Majorities Versus Minorities”, “Regional Security, Regional Peace: The Middle East”, “Present and Future of the Balkans – Lynchpin of Regional Security or New Geopolitical Chessboard?”, “How to Understand China’s Foreign Policy”, “Capitalism: Economic Growth versus Environmental Degradation”, “A Generational Gap? Youth Speaks, We Listen”, “Science and Politics”, “The Religious/Cultural Divide – What role for political leadership?” will be held as part of the three-day forum.