Head of the Mountaineering Federation of Azerbaijan Elected President of Youth Commission of UIAA

This week in Amsterdam, leaders and delegates from mountaineering organizations of the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) met. Currently UIAA has 80 member countries.

General Assembly elections were held for a new president of UIAA, to replace Mike Mortimer who resigned as president last year. The acting President during the year was a board member and representative of the Spanish Mountaineering Federation, 75-year-old Jordi Colomer. He and the Dutchman Frits Vrijlandt ran for president of UIAA. In a secret ballot, by a margin of five votes (18/24) Vrijlandt won the victory. The second important event at the Assembly was election of the President of the UIAA Youth Commission. Israfil Ashurly was unanimously elected to replace Anne Arran. UIAA Youth Commission is primarily responsible for the promotion and development of mountaineering, rock climbing and active lifestyles among youth. The Commission works closely with ARISF and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"I am grateful for the confidence and will try to use this assignment promote mountaineering in the world. For Azerbaijani climbers it is an honor and I am deeply convinced that our climbers will soon prove their prowess," Israfil Ashurly told Turan. -02B-