Details added (first version posted on 10:50)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
Civil Society Coalition "Support for the first European Games Baku-2015" has been created in Azerbaijan to organize the games at a high level and to ensure public support for their implementation.
Chairman of International Relations Research Center of Azerbaijan Rufiz Gonagov said that in addition, the coalition has been created to counter the forces trying to tarnish the image of Azerbaijan and calling for a boycott of the games.
The coalition is comprised of leading NGOs and the press bodies of Azerbaijan.
Gonagov said that for these purposes it is planned to conduct work on the objective coverage of the events, their significance and prospects for Azerbaijan.
The coalition is also going to use the opportunity to expand its activity and to inform the world community about the occupation of Azerbaijani territories as a result of Armenian aggression, transformation of million Azerbaijanis into refugees and internally displaced persons, the fact of the Khojaly genocide.
The coalition invites all NGOs and media organizations operating in Azerbaijan for cooperation.
Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take place on June 12-28, 2015.
There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.
Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012.
Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov