Director of Press Operations at Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee (AISGOC) Jayne Pearce has stressed the importance of Azerbaijan State News Agency`s (AZERTAC) becoming the Official News Agency of Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, which will take place from 12 to 22 May, 2017. AZERTAC and AISGOC today signed a partnership agreement under which AZERTAC becomes the Official News Agency of the Games.

In an interview with AZERTAC, Ms Pearce said: “Today is a very important start for the promotion of the Games. We are delighted to be working with AZERTAC as the national media partner and to be promoting the Games.” “From January, for example, we will announce the tickets. How can the people buy the tickets? We will be telling the people how they can be part of the Islamic Games and also we will be launching media accreditation process, opening up the door for domestic and international media to apply to cover the Games. Press accreditation will open in the middle of January and will continue until April.”

She also commented on which sports will feature in these Games. “We are planning to have 20 sports. The good news for Azerbaijan is that we have sports very popular in the country. For example, we have wrestling, judo, football, weightlifting.” “But also in those 20 sports, we also have sports that are popular internationally. So we can raise awareness of Azerbaijan through the Islamic world and have very good sport competition during the Islamic Games,” Ms Pearce added.

Under the agreement, AZERTAC will have the right to use and publish the designated mark being Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, and the designation of “Official News Agency of Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games” across its own materials and media channels.

With a team of experienced journalists, photographers and cameramen providing extensive coverage of the Games, AZERTAC will be the single largest Azerbaijani media organization at Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games. Its text and photographic content will be available in seven languages. In addition, AZERTAC will produce a video news stream. All this content will be available via a dedicated Baku 2017 section on the agency’s website.

AZERTAC will focus its resources on promoting Baku 2017 to both domestic and international audiences. This will include features on international and Azerbaijani athletes competing at the Games, as well as editorials, promoting local ‘human interest stories’.