The agreement - signed by Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sports and Baku 2015 chief executive and Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia - gives adolescents a voice on how safe and inclusive sport can benefit their lives.

It will include online consultations in 21 districts of Azerbaijan which will feed into a national adolescent consultation on safe and inclusive sport, to take place in Baku two days before the Games.

A further focus of the agreement is on encouraging young people to become involved in sport in their communities and make full use of the numerous state-of-the-art sport facilities which have recently been built across the country.

"As a young country ourselves, we are committed to investing in our youth to secure a sustainable future," said Rahimov.

"We are delighted to be working closely with UNICEF to maximise the legacy of the European Games and deliver opportunities to involve children and young people through sport across all of Azerbaijan."

Among those present at the signing event between Baku 2015 and UNICEF were Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports and Baku 2015 chief executive, and Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, ©Baku2015

Poirier commented: "We know that all around the world, sport is a very powerful tool to inspire passion, bring people together, and communicate important messages about children's rights on a massive scale.

"The Baku 2015 Games represent a unique platform for collaboration between all sectors of society to invest in children and adolescents as the most effective way to invest in society as a whole.

"The Games provide us with a great opportunity to discuss the right to safe and inclusive sport for Azerbaijani boys and girls, and the role of sport as a tool for the inclusion of the most disadvantaged children and adolescents."

Through the programme, adolescents will have the opportunity to discuss the importance of sport in their lives and the opportunities linked to Azerbaijan's hosting of the European Games and future major sporting events, including Formula One Grand Prix due to be held in Baku next year, the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and UEFA 2020 matches.

They will also exchange information and views on the legacy of sporting events with peers from Brazil, which hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup and is due to stage next year's Olympics and Paralympics. 

"This agreement between UNICEF and Baku 2015 is an embodiment of the Olympic spirit that the European Games are bringing to Azerbaijan," said Simon Clegg, chief operating officer of Baku 2015. 

"My team and I are incredibly excited about how, together with UNICEF, we can deliver life-changing opportunities through sport to the country's youth."

More than £5 million was raised by UNICEF for children across the Commonwealth during Glasgow 2014 ©Getty Images

Baku 2015 will also support UNICEF in promoting the importance of children's participation in sport through official broadcasting channels and social media, bringing the passion of Baku 2015 athletes and spectators around the world to the cause of all children.

UNICEF, the United Nations' programme which promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, is working in 190 countries and territories.

This tie-up is the latest between a major sporting event and UNICEF.

At last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow more than £5 million ($8 million/€6 million) was raised for children across the Commonwealth.

Of that total, £3.7 million ($6.1 million/€4.4 million) raised following the "Big Ask" by James McAvoy and Sir Chris Hoy during the Opening Ceremony, plus more than £1.2 million ($2 million/€1.5 million) through the partnership before Glasgow 2014, and the remainder from continued fundraising throughout the Games.

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