2021

Nizami Ganjavi International Center on 20 September 2021 held its XXI High-Level Meeting in New York as an exclusive side event to the UN General Assembly, bringing together 43 participants, including 23 in person and 20 joining online.

The Meeting featured three thematic panels. During the Welcome Dinner, Ismail Serageldin’s book “Nizami Ganjavi: The Poet and The Sage” was presented, with the foreword delivered by Zlatko Lagumdzija.

The event was opened by Co-Chair Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, followed by remarks from Ismail Serageldin, Kerry Kennedy, Miguel Ángel Moratinos and Khazar Ibrahim, as well as video messages from Marianna Vardinoyannis and Gordon Brown.

A special panel on “Peace and Stability: Future of Western Balkans,” moderated by Zlatko Lagumdzija, included contributions from President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski and a video message by Šefik Džaferović.

The panel “Towards COP26: Climate Crisis Response Actions” was moderated online by María Fernanda Espinosa and featured both in-person and digital participation, along with a video message from former Governor Michael Dukakis.

The discussion on “Multilateral Response to Peace and Security,” moderated by Ambassador Susan Elliott, included video remarks by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and contributions from Yves Leterme, Tzipi Livni, Amre Moussa, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and others. Ambassador Ghulam M. Isaczai briefed participants on developments in Afghanistan during the luncheon session.

The final panel, “Health and Inequality in the Post-COVID Era,” gathered digital and in-person speakers and was moderated online by David Chikvaidze.

During the Official Dinner, the 2021 Nizami Ganjavi International Award was presented to Wendy Fisher, with remarks from several distinguished leaders.

The Meeting concluded the next day under the chairmanship of Ismail Serageldin, followed by meetings with Binali Yıldırım, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and Fareed Zakaria.