From Co-Chairs and Members of Board of Trustees of Nizami Ganjavi International Center

22 May 2020, 17:00

His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

We would like to join the people of Azerbaijan in celebrating this 102nd anniversary of the declaration of Independence, the National Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and to extend our congratulations to Your Excellency and to the First Vice President, as we reflect on the enormous progress that Azerbaijan has accomplished in the past 28 years, despite obstacles and challenges world is facing.

We extend our most profound and best wishes to the leaders and people of Azerbaijan, and our hope that the country may continue on its path to prosperity, peace and development despite these difficult days where all of humanity confronts the coronavirus and its dreaded disease COVID-19. We have noted with appreciation the decisive steps taken by your government under your leadership, not only to limit the spread of the virus and curtail the impact of the disease; but also to extend help and support to those in need in other countries fighting this pandemic.

Your Excellency,

We are also happy to report that, in the same spirit of mutual support, the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) was a very active partner to many initiatives, in many places. And despite the limitations on movements that the pandemic imposed, the NGIC was actively present in 27 countries, extending support to the needy and reflecting the values that NGIC has become known for.

And in that context, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. President, for the commitment you have shown to the creation, growth and international outreach of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) and we believe that together we will continue to strengthen the NGIC and take it to ever more successful endeavors.

Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration,

Sincerely,

Vaira Vike-Freiberga

President of Latvia 1999-2007: Co-Chair, NGIC

Ismail Serageldin

Vice-President, World Bank 1992-2000: Co-Chair, NGIC

HRH Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Chairman of King Faisal Foundation’s Center for Research and Islamic Studies

Kerry Kennedy

President, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Jeffrey Sachs

Special Advisor to Secretary General on SDG: Professor, Columbia University

Helen Clark

Prime Minister of New Zealand 1999-2008: Administrator of UNDP 2009-2017

Boris Tadic

President of Serbia 2004-2012

Yves Leterme

Prime Minister of Belgium 2008; 2009-2011

Kailash Satyarthi

Nobel Peace Prize Recipient: Founder Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation

Noeleen Heyzer

Former Under Secretary-General of UN

Nathalie de Gaulle

Partner and Co-Founder, Societer

Marianna V. Vardinoyannis

Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO

Rosen Plevneliev

President of Bulgaria 2012-2017

Amre Moussa

Secretary General of the Arab League 2001-2011

Eka Tkeshelashvili

Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia 2010-2012

Laimdota Straujuma

Prime Minister of Latvia 2014-2016

Valdis Zatlers

President of Latvia 2007-2011

Tzipi Livni

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel 2006-2009

Peter Medgyessy

Prime Minister of Hungary 2002-2004

Zlatko Lagumdzija

Prime Minister, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001-2002; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2012-2015

Filip Vujanovic

President of Montenegro 2003-2018

Viktor Yushchenko

President of Ukraine 2005-2010

Kateryna Yushchenko

First Lady of Ukraine 2005-2010; Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation

Mladen Ivanic

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2018

Rashid Alimov

Secretary-General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization 2016-2019

Joseph Muscat

Prime Minister of Malta 2013-2020

Jadranka Kosor

Prime Minister of Croatia 2009-2011

Ivo Josipovic

President of Croatia 2010-2015

Stjepan Mesic

President of Croatia 2000-2010

Mirko Cvetkovic

Prime Ministers of Serbia 2008-2012

Sali Berisha

President of Albania 1992-1997,

Prime Minister of Albania 2003-2015

Rexhep Meidani

President of Albania 1997-2002

Bujar Nishani

President of Albania 2012-2017

Jean Omer Beriziky

Prime Minister of Madagascar 2011-2014

Dalia Itzik

President of Israel 2007, Knesset 2006-2009

Elsa Papademetriou

Vice-President of the Greek Parliament

Rosalia Artega Serrano

President of Ecuador 1997

Giorgi Margvelashvili

President of Georgia 2013-2018

Emil Constantinescu

President of Romania 1996-2000

Shaukat Aziz

Prime Minister of Pakistan 2004-2007

Djoomart Otorbaev

Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan 2014-2015

Rovshan Muradov

Secretary-General, NGIC