These days, Baku is witnessing a historic moment — the ICPC World Finals, one of the largest programming competitions in the world, is being held right here.
As I walked excitedly to the opening ceremony, my mind went back 20 years… Back then, Ramil Mahmudzadze, Nazim Suleymanov, Fuad Hajiyev, Etibar Seyidzade, and other unsung heroes were building their stories with immense dedication. Challenges, limited resources, but big dreams…
Today, the seeds they planted have blossomed into a new beginning for Azerbaijani youth. The ICPC we dreamed of is now in our country. This is not just an event — it is an incredible success story.
Years of effort by people with big dreams despite limited means, students practicing day and night, and the dedicated support of teachers made this possible. If once we dreamed of participating in the ICPC finals, today we have brought the world to Azerbaijan.
This success proves that with persistent belief, patience, and team spirit, seemingly impossible dreams can come true. Now, a new generation has an even bigger mission: not just to host, but to win and shine Azerbaijan’s name even brighter on the global technology map.
Why ICPC matters to us
It all started in the 1970s in the United States. A group of students asked: “What if we create an international challenge for programmers to test their math and algorithm skills?” What began in a small classroom gradually became the foundation of a global movement. Today, thousands of universities from over 100 countries participate in this great adventure. Young people from all over the world gather to test their skills at ICPC.
The format seems simple but is extremely challenging: a team of three students and one coach must solve 10–13 complex problems in five hours. During this time, racing against the clock, quick thinking, and team harmony are all crucial.
But ICPC is not just a coding competition. Here, students learn not only technical skills but also teamwork, time management, and creative problem-solving abilities.
This is why ICPC is often called a “laboratory for the technology leaders of the future.” ICPC students are encouraged to solve real-time complex problems, strengthening logical thinking, algorithmic skills, and mathematical approaches.
The world’s top universities compete in ICPC. By participating, students test their knowledge internationally and gain opportunities to connect with global companies in the future.
Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Meta pay special attention to ICPC participants because success in this competition demonstrates top-level engineering skills.
Teams selected from our universities have already started participating on this global stage. The first steps were difficult — experience was limited, and resources scarce. Yet, every participation, every solved problem became a great victory for our students.
Today, ICPC is not only a competition for our youth but also a school to gain international experience, develop innovative thinking, and prepare to compete in the global IT market.
Against the backdrop of Azerbaijan’s digital transformation and innovation goals, this competition is even more strategically important. Every talent nurtured here — a future engineer, startup founder, or technology leader — contributes to the country’s human capital.
Therefore, winning at ICPC is not just an individual achievement but a significant contribution to our nation’s human capital.
I want to thank the unsung heroes who did everything possible to bring this final to our country. Everything started with your spark… It is your silent effort and unseen work that have placed Azerbaijani youth at the center of the world’s most prestigious programming stage today.
