On 23–24 September 2026 the Nizami Ganjavi International Center convened the XXXVII High-Level Meeting “Rebuilding Trust, Cooperation and Global Stability for a Shared Future” a side event to the UN General Assembly. Held in New York, the two-day summit served as a premier global platform for addressing critical issues in international governance, sustainability, and multilateral security.

Addressing a moment of profound global fragmentation and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the high-level summit brought together world leaders, former heads of state and government, senior representatives of international organizations, diplomats, and global thought leaders.

Over the course of the summit, delegates addressed core themes on the global agenda:

The Return of Power Politics and the Way Forward

Multilateralism Under Pressure: Rethinking International Cooperation

Debt, Development and Future of Emerging Economies

From Ambition to FID: How COP31 Can Make Climate Commitments Investable

Energy, Security and Climate: Managing the Triple Transition

AI, Digital Sovereignty and Future of Global Governance etc.

During the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Tatiana Molcean, former Special Representative of China on European Affairs Wu Hongbo, and other dignitaries.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted global health as one of the areas where states can cooperate in the face of shared threats. He emphasized the importance of coordinated action against future pandemics and stronger trust among states.

Miguel Ángel Moratinos stated that rebuilding trust begins with respect for international law and the UN Charter. He noted the significance of paying greater attention to dialogue, mediation, and preventive diplomacy before crises deepen.

During her speech, Tatiana Molcean said that practical cooperation remains possible even amidst political differences. She emphasized that cooperation in areas such as transport corridors, trade, border crossings, and shared water resources contributes to building trust among states.

Wu Hongbo brought to attention that the foundation of multilateralism lies in the sovereign equality and mutual respect of states. He called for resolving geopolitical differences through equal dialogue and addressing global challenges through multilateral mechanisms.

On September 10, 2026, the Board Members, partners, and international delegation of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center convened in Baku for a special gathering titled "A Life Remembered, A Future Renewed." The event was structured in two complementary parts to honor the legacy of the late Secretary-General, Rovshan Muradov, and to mark a new chapter in the Center's leadership.

The morning session was dedicated to celebrating the life, achievements, and enduring contributions of Rovshan Muradov. The program was opened with official remarks by NGIC Co-Chairs Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of Latvia 1999–2007 and Ismail Serageldin, Vice-President of the World Bank 1992–2000.

The afternoon session focused on institutional continuity, reaffirming core values, and driving the Center’s strategic global purpose. Chaired by the Co-Chairs of the NGIC Board of Trustees, this segment officially welcomed Rza Aliyev as the incoming Secretary-General of the NGIC. During the session, titled "Looking Forward: The Challenges and Opportunities Ahead," the leadership reviewed and discussed the NGIC’s active roadmap for the remainder of the year, laying the groundwork leading up to the Global Baku Forum 2027.

The high-level gathering was attended by NGIC Board Members, international leaders, and representatives of international organizations:

Vaira Vike-Freiberga – Co-Chair, NGIC; President of Latvia 1999–2007

Ismail Serageldin – Co-Chair, NGIC; Vice-President of the World Bank 1992–2000

Jean Baderschneider – Board of Directors, Fortescue; Vice President, ExxonMobil 2000–2013; Founder, The Global Fund to End Modern Slavery

Benita Ferrero-Waldner – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria 2000–2004

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – President of the Republic of Mauritius 2015–2018

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Rebeca Grynspan – Secretary-General of UNCTAD

Ivo Josipovic – President of Croatia 2010–2015

Zlatko Lagumdzija – Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN; Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001–2002; Deputy Prime Minister 2012–2015

Yves Leterme – Prime Minister of Belgium 2008, 2009–2011

Tzipi Livni – Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel 2006–2009

Amre Moussa – Secretary-General of the Arab League 2001–2011; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt 1991–2001

Joseph Muscat – Prime Minister of Malta 2013–2020

Nihal Saad – Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Patricia Scotland – Former Commonwealth Secretary-General; Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom

Boris Tadic – President of Serbia 2004–2012

Eka Tkeshelashvili – Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia 2010–2012

Filip Vujanovic – President of Montenegro 2006–2018

Benedetto Zacchiroli – Chair of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities of UNESCO; President of the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR)

Antonio Zanardi-Landi – Senior Advisor of Pirelli; Former Diplomatic Adviser to the Italian President; Ambassador of the Military Order of Malta to the Vatican

By uniting remembrance with institutional purpose, the Nizami Ganjavi International Center honors the foundation built by past leadership while firmly committing to its mission of fostering global dialogue, multilateralism, and sustainable development on the world stage.

As part of Baku Climate Action Week 2026, a high-level roundtable on "Post-COP31 Climate Leadership: Ensuring Implementation through Partnership" has been organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. Partnering with Baku Climate Action Week for the second consecutive year, the Center continues to contribute to strengthening international dialogue and partnership in the field of climate action. Held as part of preparations for COP31, the roundtable focused on the development of global climate leadership over the past decade and the lessons learned since the Paris Agreement. Participants exchanged views on the impact of changing geopolitical conditions on international climate cooperation, turning climate commitments into concrete action, and new partnership opportunities.

The opening session of the event featured speeches by Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and former President of Latvia; Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President and Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues; and Mehmet Galip Ensarioglu, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye.

The panel discussion was attended by Nigar Arpadarai, COP29 High-Level Climate Champion and Member of Parliament; Christian Mensah, Senior Advisor to the COP31 High-Level Climate Champions; Jean Baderschneider, Board Member of Fortescue, former Vice President of ExxonMobil, and Board Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center; Ismail Serageldin, Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and former Vice President of the World Bank; Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan; Zlatko Lagumdzija, Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN and former Prime Minister of the country; Patricia Scotland, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and Member of the UK House of Lords; Saida Safayeva, Head of the Center for Sustainable Development in Uzbekistan; Yelena Akoltseva, Vice President for Europe and CIS at Baker Hughes; Amr Moussa, former Secretary-General of the Arab League and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt; Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium; and Leyla Hasanova, COP29 Youth Climate Champion.

During the panel, discussions focused on the impact of geopolitical changes on international climate cooperation, energy security, economic competitiveness, healthcare, food systems, technology, and sustainable development. Participants also exchanged views on strengthening cooperation among governments, international organizations, financial institutions, business, and civil society, turning climate commitments into concrete results, and accelerating implementation on the road to COP31.

From September 7 to 11, 2026, members and the delegation of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center visited Baku to participate in a series of high-level engagements, including panel sessions and key discussions held within the framework of Baku Climate Action Week 2026.

Serving as a principal partner of Baku Climate Action Week for the second time, the NGIC continues to contribute significantly to advancing high-level dialogue and international cooperation on key global climate priorities.

During BCAW 2026, participants engaged in in-depth exchanges of views on crucial issues shaping sustainable momentum and global climate action, including:

• “From Baku to COP31: Sustainable Momentum in a Fragmented World”
• “Advancing the Urban Dimensions of Climate Action: From WUF13 to COP31”
• “Climate Leadership Beyond COP31: Delivering Implementation Through Partnership”

The discussions featured NGIC Co-Chairs, members including: 

• Ismail Serageldin – Co-Chair of NGIC; Vice-President of the World Bank 1992–2000
• Vaira Vīke-Freiberga – Co-Chair of NGIC; President of Latvia 1999–2007
• Yves Leterme – Prime Minister of Belgium 2008, 2009–2011
• Boris Tadic – President of Serbia 2004–2012
• Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – President of Mauritius 2015–2018
• Ivo Josipovic – President of Croatia 2010–2015
• Amre Moussa – Secretary-General of the Arab League 2001–2011; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt 1991–2001
• Eka Tkeshelashvili – Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia 2010–2012
• Benita Ferrero-Waldner – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria 2000–2004
• Patricia Scotland – Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom
• Benedetto Zacchiroli – President of the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR)
• Jean Baderschneider –Board of Directors of Fortescue, former Vice President of ExxonMobil, and Founder of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery
• Zlatko Lagumdzija – Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN; Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001–2002
• Antonio Zanardi Landi – Former Diplomatic Advisor to the President of Italy; Ambassador of the Sovereign Millitary Order of Malta

Through these high-level engagements, the Nizami Ganjavi International Center reaffirms its unwavering commitment to strengthening global partnerships and driving sustainable climate strategies from the Baku platform toward COP31.