VIII Global Baku Forum: “World After COVID-19"

By the end of 2019 a fearsome virus invaded the world. The SARS-Cov-2 caused a terrifying disease, which was identified as COVID-19. It quickly spread to the whole planet, and claimed many victims. The world faced the most serious pandemic in a hundred years. It forced most countries to pursue policies of lockdowns and social isolation that have wrought enormous economic dislocations and challenges as well as causing massive mental stress on people. Societies had to confront their built-in inequalities, and the weaknesses of their health infrastructure. Governments that could afford to do it launched massive programs of fiscal support and borrowing. Despite all these measures, the pandemic has already infected close to 200 million persons and claimed over four million lives.

A lightening scientific response has resulted in our possession of a large number of viable vaccines in record time.  Gradually, countries are trying to vaccinate their citizens, and progressively reopening the facilities that had been under lockdown.  Schools are receiving their students, while shops, restaurants, bars and cafes are welcoming their customers. Escaping from their forced confinement, massive numbers of people who can afford it have started business travel and tourism once again. More explorations of work from home and staggered hours are being tested. And on the whole, in many parts of the world, life is slowly returning to a semblance of normality.

Last year also saw the reintegration of Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) into Azerbaijan.  It is time to turn the page in relations between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, and to build a new future of peace and prosperity for all in the South Caucasus.  There is much to do on all sides, but it is important that as we look to the future of the region, that we share a vision of mutually respect for the human rights of all nationals and residents of all countries. This vision will help the people of the South Caucasus to work together to build that shared post-COVID-19 future.

But beyond the specificities in the South Caucasus, there is a widespread global feeling that this pandemic was – and still is – a watershed event in the history of humanity. The countries of the world that seemed poised to commit themselves onto a path towards a sustainable future with the adoption of the SDGs and the Paris Accord in 2015, have suffered a setback on that positive trajectory. Extremely variable performance in the way the leading countries of the world coped with the pandemic, have made clear that old alignments and rankings may no longer be valid. It is this specific historic moment that our Global Baku Forum 2021 will address. From the global scale to the regional and national scale. From the political to the economic, social and cultural realities of the world emerging from that forced passage through societies in the grip of a pandemic.  What can we do about each aspect of this emerging reality, and how by thoughtful actions today we can shape the world of tomorrow: “The World after COVID-19”

After the opening keynote speeches that will set the stage for the whole event, the Program will be organized in three broad parts:  Global, Sectoral, and regional.  Each panel will consist of members of the NGIC, and one or more top experts in the topic of the panel.

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XII Global Baku Forum: "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities"

The XII Global Baku Forum, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, took place on March 13-15, 2025, under the theme “Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities.”

The forum gathered over 300 distinguished global leaders from more than 60 countries, including over 25 former presidents, more than 15 former prime ministers, nearly 10 high-ranking UN officials, and over 25 former ministers and deputy ministers.

Key discussions centered on major global challenges and opportunities, with sessions dedicated to:

  • Geopolitical Shifts
  • Reimagining Multilateralism
  • UN Pact for the Future
  • Ukraine-European Union
  • Global Health in Crisis
  • Rebuilding for Peace – Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Regional Stability
  • COP29: Breakthrough to Belem
  • New Technologies for New World
  • Gender-Security-Climate Nexus

XI Global Baku Forum: "Fixing the Fractured World"

The flagship event of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the 11th edition of the Global Baku Forum will be held on 14-16 March 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the title of ‘‘Fixing the Fractured World’’. 


XI GBF is promising to bring over 400 participants including current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, international organizations, and civil society. As every year, NGIC is targeted to bring the wisdom and experience of its distinguished members and participants in an open and unconstrained debate to learn from the past, assess the present, and envision the future. In the 10 years of its existence, over 100 current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, and more than 4,000 other high-level representatives of governments, international organizations, and civil society have participated in the Forum in order to discuss how to overcome the world’s most pressing challenges.

The following topics will be discussed during the forum:
 
The New World Disorder
On War and Peace
Fixing Global Governance
The Value of Regional Political Institutions
Regional Perspectives: The future of the EU, the Caucasus and Central Asia,      Africa
Sectoral Perspectives: Health, Education, Food and Agriculture, Water, Transportation and energy corridors
Our Relationships with the Environment: Climate Change and other environmental challenges:
The Economic and Financial System
New Social Realities
On Science and the New Technologies
Listening to Youth
 

X Global Baku Forum: "The World of Today: Challenges and Hopes"

The flagship event of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the 10th edition of the Global Baku Forum will be held on 9-11 March 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the title of “World of Today: Challenges and Hopes”. In this context we will explore such pressing questions as the New/Old threats to global security, health for peace, how we can reform for an effective multilateralism, global peace: dream or reality, transportation corridors which connect Europe to Asia through Azerbaijan and Central Asia countries, future of Europe, future of Africa, China’s role for global development and security. In addition, we will address key sectoral issues including: Health for all, future of education; Science, Technology and Innovation and how to transform the global economies and the cities of the future, sustainability and global economy. 

X GBF is promising to bring over 400 participants including current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, international organizations, and civil society. As every year, NGIC is targeted to bring the wisdom and experience of its distinguished members and participants in an open and unconstrained debate to learn from the past, assess the present, and envision the future. In the 10 years of its existence, over 100 current and former heads of state and government, Nobel Laureates, and more than 4,000 other high-level representatives of governments, international organizations, and civil society have participated in the Forum in order to discuss how to overcome of the world’s most pressing challenges.