29th High-Level Meeting of the NGIC on "Pathway to COP29: Sustainable and Resilient Future"
Published: 20 June 2024
Nizami Ganjavi International Center organized a High-Level Meeting titled "Pathway to COP29: Sustainable and Resilient Future." The event was held as part of preparations for COP29.
The meeting was organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. The opening ceremony was moderated by Ismail Serageldin, Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, and opened by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, reading a message from President H.E. Ilham Aliyev. The President's message highlighted the Nizami Ganjavi International Center's rapid rise to prominence as a leading international institution and praised its initiatives and new approaches to addressing global issues.
The message emphasized that climate change has long been one of the most critical and prioritized issues on the global agenda: "The climate crisis and its impacts not only hinder the sustainable development and prosperity of countries but also significantly affect the daily lives and lifestyles of ordinary people." It was noted that, despite significant steps taken by the global community to address global warming, new challenges and increasingly serious threats remain.
Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan and COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to presenting COP29 in an inclusive, transparent, and fair manner, and the importance of hearing all views and finding common solutions for climate change.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly, noted that the goal of the High-Level Meeting was to discuss key issues in the fight against climate change. She stated that the success of COP29 would not only be Azerbaijan’s success and emphasized that COP29 aims to establish peace between humanity and nature.
Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Director of CGIAR, highlighted the importance of the issues to be discussed at COP29 for finding solutions to climate problems.
The event also featured video messages from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS; former President of Finland, Tarja Halonen; Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who shared their views on climate change and the importance of united efforts.
On the first day, three panels discussed "Status review of the challenge," "Balancing, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience," and "Climate change and its connections to water, biodiversity, and food security."
On the second day of the event, panel discussions focused on “The Role of Science, technology, and Innovation in Climate Change”, “The Situation in the Food and Agriculture Sectors”, Financing Our Response to Climate Change and the SDGs”, “One Health, One Planet: Uniting for a Sustainable Future”.
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NGIC hosted the side event to the Paris Peace Forum titled “From COP29 to COP30 & XIII Global Baku Forum.”
Within the framework of the Paris Peace Forum, the Nizami Ganjavi International Center hosted a high-level side event titled “From COP29 to COP30: Advancing the Global Climate Dialogue and Preparing for the XIII Global Baku Forum.”
The meeting, moderated by former President of Serbia Boris Tadić, brought together former heads of state and government, leaders of international organizations, parliamentarians, and experts from across the world. Building on the outcomes of COP29, the discussion focused on the preparation process for COP30, global climate financing, and the challenges of sustainable development. Among the topics addressed was the “Caspian Sea Agenda,” which covered key issues related to the legal status of the Caspian Sea, as well as energy and environmental cooperation.
In recent years, the NGIC has made notable contributions to the global climate agenda through initiatives such as the London and Baku Climate Action Weeks, as well as high-level meetings held in Beijing, Tashkent, and New York. The Paris event is considered a continuation of these ongoing efforts.
The discussions also emphasized preparations for the XIII Global Baku Forum, scheduled for March 2026, including a presentation of the upcoming Forum.
Distinguished speakers included COP29 President and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev; Presidents of COP20, COP21, COP22, COP24, and COP30; President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova; Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braze; Vice-President of the French Senate Xavier Iacovelli; French Senator Nathalie Goulet; former President of Serbia Boris Tadic; former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou; former President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet; and other prominent global leaders.
“Shifting Grounds: The Caucasus, Central Asia and Europe in a New Global Order” — NGIC Members Discussed Global Challenges in Vienna
The Nizami Ganjavi International Center, together with the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) and the Vienna School of International Studies, organized the event “Shifting Grounds: The Caucasus, Central Asia and Europe in a New Global Order” in Vienna.
Within the framework of the event, NGIC members met with Heinz Fischer, Co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and 11th President of the Republic of Austria (2004–2016), to discuss current global shifts and the evolving dynamics between Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
The high-level panel featured prominent international figures including:
- Vuk Jeremic, CIRSD President, President of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly
- Benita Ferrero-Waldner, former Foreign Minister of Austria and European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy
- Boris Tadic, President of Serbia (2004–2012)
- Nino Burjanadze, Acting President of Georgia and former Speaker of Parliament
- Dimitris Avramopoulos, former European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship
- Ana Birchall, former Deputy Prime Minister of Romania
During the discussions, participants shared their insights on regional cooperation, security, and the future of Europe’s neighborhood, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and shared responsibility in addressing today’s global challenges.
As part of the visit, “The Magic of the Pen – Selected Miniatures from the Khamsa of Nizami Ganjavi” was presented to Ambassador Martin Eichtinger, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and former Austrian Ambassador to Romania, Moldova, and the United Kingdom, by NGIC member Vuk Jeremic.
NGIC participated The Economist Impact Summit in Athens
The Nizami Ganjavi International Center strengthened its cooperation with The Economist Impact through its partnership in the 9th Sustainability Summit for Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean, held in Athens.
Distinguished NGIC members took part in the discussions, including:
- Kateryna Yushchenko, former First Lady of Ukraine;
- Csaba Korosi, President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly;
- Volkan Bozkir, 75th President of the UN General Assembly and former Minister of European Union Affairs of Turkey;
- Hakima El Haite, President of the African Pact and Member of the UN Zero Waste Initiative;
- Rosen Plevneliev, former President of Bulgaria.
During the summit, NGIC members shared their perspectives on sustainability, competitiveness, and global leadership, emphasizing the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing climate challenges and promoting a balanced green transition. Their interventions highlighted the need for policies that combine environmental responsibility with economic growth and social stability.
Through its engagement, NGIC reaffirmed its dedication to fostering dialogue among global leaders and experts to advance sustainable development and strengthen regional cooperation. The participation at this summit once again underscored NGIC’s active role in shaping discussions on Europe’s green and competitive future.
NGIC Members Participated in High-Level Sessions at Baku Climate Action Week 2025
Baku Climate Action Week 2025 was held from 29 September to 3 October within the framework of COP29. The Nizami Ganjavi International Center was one of the main partners of Baku Climate Action Week 2025. NGIC members participated as speakers in several high-level sessions, sharing their expertise on climate change, sustainable development, and international cooperation.
Notable NGIC members included:
- Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador (2017–2018)
- Csaba Korosi, President of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly
- Raimonds Vējonis, President of Latvia (2015–2019)
- Jean Baderschneider, Board of Directors, Fortescue Ltd.; Chair of the Board, The Global Fund to End Modern Slavery; former Vice-President, ExxonMobil
- Hakima El Haite, President of the African Pact; Member of the UN Zero Waste Initiative
The participation of NGIC members highlighted the significance of the event in promoting sustainable climate solutions and strengthening international collaboration in the region.