Underlining the work has been implemented on this direction during recent two years the director of the institution noted that the problems and situation in the field of formation of young generation as decent members for civil society were investigated, monitorings and opinion polls were held and three applications with proposals were addressed to the head of the state. Moreover ”ELS” Centre based the database which is substantial for cultural - spiritual education for growing generation in the children Web Portal named ”Spiritual Heritage” created in Azerbaijani, Russian and English in address www.meneviservetimiz.az (additional address www.educult.az). The final presentation of the mentioned Portal was presented to the event participant by I.Yaqubova.

In his turn, the official from the public-political department of the President’s Administration Vugar Salimov noted that with its ancient and rich culture The Azerbaijani nation holds a specific place among the world’s nations. There is a balance between state and civil society and government always works out the projects regarding the cultural issues in conformity with the civil society and adopts different laws. According to his words, today the NG0s and other civil society institutions work different initiations and projects out in the field of development of Azerbaijan Culture. The Member of Parliament Musa Gasimli remarked the interest towards reading and books has decreased the recent years and the way out of it is to hold book fairs and exhibitions; Member of Parliament Kamila Aliyeva underlined the importance of approach to the children not as individuals but citizens; Farasat Gurbanov, the executive director for the State Support Council for NG0s under the President of the AR dwelled on the state support and care for such projects and public approach. The poet Baba Vaziroglu, writer Chingiz Alioglu, poet Vahid Aziz, producer Sheykh Abdul Mahmudbayov, the president of the National NG0s Forum Rauf Zeyni and other conference participants have shared their thoughts upon the project and theme as well.

It is notable that the round-table has been held with the representatives from the Haydar Aliyev Foundation, the President’s Administration of the Azerbaijan Republic, Milli Majlis, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, State Support Council for NG0s under the president of the AR, State Committee for Family, Women and Children Problems, children libraries and other relevant state institutions, as well as with the participants of prominent culture and art figures, local NG0s, international organizations and Mass Media representatives.

“STRATEGIC ROLE OF CULTURE IN CIVIL SOCIETY FORMATION”

20 September, 2012                                                                                                                   Irada Yagubova

Every nation thinking of future on bringing up the youth it is one of the strategic issues of each worldwide country or people, or it’s very likely to be the most significant problem. As the country’s destiny will depend on the present youth, to bring them up on national spirit as educated persons with wide outlook maintains both the prosperity of the country and people’s welfare they belong. In the 2^nd Forum of the Azerbaijani Youth the National Leader addressed these words to the youth: “In future we’ll charge you with the destiny of independent Azerbaijan. Therefore, be ready in order to develop and immortalize the Azerbaijan State and Azerbaijan”. The youth has actually great power and this thought of Haydar Aliyev’s has always conformity with actuality, as well as challenges each of us to do definite work for the sake of Azerbaijan’s future.

“ELS” Independent Investigations Centre has already been carrying out strict measures in this direction for two years, firstly in January, 2011 on public bases it launched the “Civil Society for our future’s sake” project. Within the project the problems and situation in the field of the youth’s formation as decent members of civil society were investigated, monitorings and opinion polls were held, proposals on the base of final results were prepared. The investigations were discussed at the four round tables with the participation of relevant state institutions and public, applications with proposals were addressed to the president of the country. The issues such as adoption of the bill related to the cultural development of the growing generation, opening the State Children TV Channel, establishment of State Support Foundation on the independent initiations and other actual issues were indicated in these applications.

The investigations cover musical works influencing the children’s cultural development to a considerable extend (especially children songs), children programs broadcasting in the local TV channels, internet opportunities and other issues.

Taking into consideration definite shortages existing in the current legislation regarding the children the Centre put forward the proposals. One of them is working “the National Strategy related to Children Policy” out regarding cultural and spiritual education of children and teenagers, as well as its wide public discussion, in this regard establishment of the Coordination Council or Working Group involving representatives of civil society and relevant state institutions was proposed to the President of the republic on 2 April, 2011.

In the second stage, “ELS” Independent Investigations Centre” Public Union founded the Children Web Portal named “Our Spiritual Wealth” within the framework of the “developing the resources for children web portal” carried out with the financial support of the State Support Council for NGOs under the president of the Azerbaijan Republic. The information base which is necessary for the cultural – spiritual education of the growing generation was created within the project. Up to date the web pages of the portal have been compiled in English, Azerbaijani and Russian and were placed in www.meneviservetimiz.az (additional address www.educult.az) address. The information related to history, geography of Azerbaijan, social – economical, institutional and other information, as well as legislation base regarding children and youth are based in the web portal. The comprehensive information regarding the children activities collectives working in our country and the condition created for children’s cultural development in the section of Organizing leisure hours so that it provides the members of society, especially the parents with the information about the available opportunities for the children’s cultural development. Parallel with the songs, opera and operettas, symphonic, instrumental and vocal works groups of the Azerbaijani composers, musical masterpieces of world art are also based in the Musical Works section. Taking into consideration insufficiency of notes as one of the present current problems in the realm of cultural educating of the growing generation parallel with the play and download of the children songs, their notes and texts as well as the National Anthem of the Azerbaijan Republic sounded by the children’s performance for the first time are also based in the portal. Prose and poetical samples of the Azerbaijani and world writers related to the classical and modern period and proverbs are based in Literary Works section. The fairy-tales, stories and poems base in Azeri are placed here, the First Pens section enables the persons who make the first steps in literature to present their writings here. It’s possible to find the information regarding the literature published in the art sphere in Publications section and the information regarding drawing galleries, theatres, museums, libraries in the Useful Links section.

Along with the statical information the news, events, achievements which took place in our country’s cultural life, especially regarding the children, as well as the same events happened in the world are highlighted in the portal. Thus, the portal promoting the formation as comprehensively developed persons of our children, useful and interesting for each citizen and professionals who work with children, parents, as well as for children themselves functions in Azerbaijan today. Along with these ELS launched its successive “Our spiritual Wealth” meetings on 19 July of this year with the poet of youth Vahid Aziz.

At the next stage investigations were held related to the reading which is the source of knowledge, enlarging the outlook, inculcating the intercourse skills, improving vocabulary and possessing the other features. The monitorings showed that there’re very few places where the literature for the children are sold, the locations for sale are book-shops and some big markets, the books are eventually published in 500 copies. In this case the publication products can’t influence on increasing the number of readers.

It’s also possible to be in contact with the books in the State libraries. Today 3883 libraries work in Azerbaijan and 102 of them are children libraries. Along with these libraries, the libraries of the 4516 secondary schools should be taken into consideration as well. Book holidays, meetings with the readers and other events are held in the libraries which have rich book funds so that these events promote the propagating of books. However, according to the official statistics the number of readers in public libraries reduced 12,4% from 2000 to 2011. It’s very interesting that the reduction takes place on the account of city readers. Thus, the number of readers in cities reduced 24,8%, but in provinces 9,6%.

In general, how do the youth regard the books, fictional literature today? ELS held the opinion poll regarding the use of libraries and fictional literature reading among 221 students from 8 high schools of Baku and Sumgayit cities. The students refer to books much more in order to improve their educational level in comparison with their contemporaries. During the selection of the fictional literature 21, 6 % of the respondents preferred love novels, 17,5 % - adventure, detective novels, 14,3 % - historical novels, 13,4 % - stories about modern life, 7,6 % - fairy-tales, 7,4 % - fantastical, 6,1 % - humour, 5,6 % - poetry, 3,2% - sport, 2,5% - the themes about their contemporaries. Only 0, 8% of respondents mentioned that there’s no difference for them, as regards which format of the literature they prefer for reading, 79, 6% prefer printed format, 20, 4% indicated that they prefer reading on internet.

The book lovers underlined that the fictional literature improves people’s outlook, gives information (38,3%), enriches vocabulary and speech abilities (36, 4%), masters life experience and abilities for building relations with others (11,2%), perfects oneself and develops mind (9,3%), as well as bestows other opportunities (4,8%).

However, touching upon reading 10,6% of the students told they often read, 32,8% mentioned they sometimes read fictional books, 56,6% noted that they don’t read such kind of books at all. Those who rarely refer to the books explained it with the time limitation. The reasons such as insufficient time for reading (56,8%), they don’t consider it necessary (9,4%), dislike of reading or general feeling of uninterest (33,8%) were mentioned by those who don’t share time fictional books in their life. Those who don’t consider fictional reading to be necessary appreciated the fictional books to be remote from actualities and as a factor directing the readers towards the wrong way. To their mind, each person has to behave to his consciousness, he has to refer to the fictional books only when the professional activity requires it. It is very curious that 67,8% of those who don’t like reading couldn’t remember themselves to be told the fairy-tales by their parents and the books bought by their parents either. Subsequently we could conclude that, the lack of desire towards the reading in childhood has negative impact on people afterwards. Such young people are impacted much easily, can’t show their potential, can’t intercourse or come to consensus either. In its turn it shows its negative impact upon the formation of powerful civil society and impedes the development potential of State.

In this respect, underlining the exclusive role of culture upon mastering of youth as decent and perfect members of civil society “ELS” Independent Investigations Centre considers it to be inevitable to strengthen state support on formation strict crucial regarding our children’s cultural – spiritual education today, as well as involving of public organizations into this process.

To say in our national leader’s words: “The youth of every country, every nation and every people is its present, tomorrow and its hope as well”. Let’s not forget it.