An exhibition titled “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children” has been opened in Malta on the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva.

On February 17, in Valletta, the capital of Malta, at the Presidential Palace, an exhibition under the slogan “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children” was opened on the initiative of the IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) Public Union led by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The event was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and head of the IDEA Public Union; George Abela, President of Malta; Michelle Muscat, wife of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat; Evarist Bartolo, Minister of Education; officials from the state and government of Malta; heads of several environmental organizations; representatives of higher education institutions; as well as Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Italy and Malta, Vagif Sadigov, and others.

The international children’s competition “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children,” initiated by Leyla Aliyeva and supported by world-renowned photographer Reza Deghati in 2012, is considered the first international project to educate children on social and environmental issues through the language of photography. In the competition held under the slogans “I Love Nature” and “I Fear Pollution” announced in September of the same year, more than 1,200 children and young people from 90 countries participated.

More than 4,000 photographs were submitted to the international photo competition. The winners were determined by a jury chaired by Reza Deghati, consisting of representatives from “Reuters,” “Polka” magazine, “National Geographic,” “Associated Press,” and other well-known institutions in the field of photography. To announce the results of the competition, the “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children” festival was held in Baku in May 2013. The exhibition organized in Valletta showcases 100 of the best photographs selected in that competition.

The organizers of the “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children” exhibition are the IDEA Public Union and the AINA World NGO founded by the renowned photographer Reza Deghati. After the exhibition held in Moscow in October 2012, it is planned to be organized soon in Geneva, Switzerland.

Initially, Charles Mifsud, a representative of the “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children” project and a prominent Maltese photographer, welcomed the participants of the event and spoke about the significance of the exhibition. He noted that this is not just a photo exhibition but also represents the perspective of children from different countries on the environment. Charles Mifsud emphasized that Azerbaijan is a fascinating country, and he was captivated by its literature and historical monuments.

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and head of the IDEA Public Union, spoke about the importance of the exhibition, stating:

First of all, I would like to express my pleasure at being in this beautiful country with a unique history. Today we have gathered here to present an international project under the slogan “The Earth Through the Eyes of Children,” founded by the IDEA Public Union and Reza Deghati, one of the world’s leading photographers. The exhibition allows thousands of children from more than 90 countries to showcase their talents and express their interest in the environment and nature. The uniqueness of the displayed photographs is that they not only depict the beauty of nature but also reflect the dangers and destructions facing our planet. This is a valuable experience for children to understand and feel what is happening on Earth. The exhibition once again demonstrates that people from different parts of the world come together to protect our planet.
Azerbaijan has rich biodiversity. The country has a well-established environmental program. Many initiatives have been implemented and significant achievements attained under this program. Today, Azerbaijan is a country actively involved in fostering dialogue among neighboring states and contributing to this process. I am proud to say that Azerbaijan is a regional leader in implementing environmental initiatives. I am glad that the IDEA Public Union contributes to these initiatives.

I hope the exhibition will increase the number of people willing to participate in protecting our planet.
Although Azerbaijan is geographically distant from Malta, our countries maintain good relations based on mutual respect, understanding, and trust. Historically, both countries have served as bridges between Europe and other regions of the world.

Reza Deghati emphasized that the exhibition displays works of children representing and collaborating from many countries. Through these photographs, we gain a renewed perspective on the world we live in. It was noted that Leyla Aliyeva’s initiative with the IDEA Public Union aims to educate future generations on environmental issues. Demonstrating environmental problems through the eyes of children is a wonderful idea.

Reza Deghati, drawing a parallel between the cities of Baku and Malta, noted that the exhibition brings the two countries even closer together.

Highlighting the significance of the event, Ambassador Vagif Sadigov emphasized that holding such an exhibition is very important for understanding how children from different continents perceive our planet. During the exhibition, it is possible to see how children imagine the world and nature around them and what dreams they have for making our planet a better place.

The ambassador also noted the relevant work carried out by the IDEA Public Union under Leyla Aliyeva’s leadership and highlighted that the organization arranges such exhibitions in various countries around the world. He stated that such events provide an excellent opportunity for people mobilized to protect nature to come together.

Speaking about the existing relations between Azerbaijan and Malta, Vagif Sadigov noted that bilateral relations have been developing in all areas in recent years.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, speaking at the event, stated that creativity and the effective expression of ideas and feelings are the most important elements of the exhibition. Through these photographs, we witness how children reflect the beauty present on Earth. The exhibition also provides an opportunity to observe negative processes occurring in the environment. Pollution and human-caused environmental damage have reached alarming levels. These photographs help us see the truth.

George Abela, President of the Republic of Malta, speaking at the exhibition, noted that the nature surrounding us has been forgotten in recent times. People are indifferent to what is happening in the environment. Therefore, viewing events on our planet through the eyes of children is very interesting. The head of state emphasized that high-level relations exist between our countries. These relations are developing not only politically but also in other areas. Our peoples share common values. President George Abela expressed his gratitude to Leyla Aliyeva, head of the IDEA Public Union, for initiating the holding of the exhibition in Malta.

Later, a dinner was held in honor of Leyla Aliyeva at Girgenti Palace, the summer residence of the Prime Minister of Malta.

The exhibition will continue until February 28.