Islamabad, Pakistan, September 2024: Renowned Global Climate Youth Activist, Qaiser Nawab, actively participated in a virtual meeting with President-Designate of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, alongside over a hundred heads of NGOs and global representatives. The meeting, organized by the COP29 NGO Coalition—representing 260 NGOs from 60 countries—focused on the crucial role of civil society in the upcoming COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
During the meeting, Nawab praised the exemplary leadership of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and acknowledged the country’s increasing influence in addressing global climate challenges. He also expressed his deep appreciation for President Babayev’s commitment to making COP29 a landmark event for global climate action.
Nawab emphasized Azerbaijan’s growing importance on the world stage, stating:
“Azerbaijan’s expanding role in tackling climate challenges makes us immensely proud. The leadership of President Ilham Aliyev is truly inspiring, and we, as global citizens, deeply admire Azerbaijan’s visionary efforts.”
As Lead for Global Outreach and Youth Engagement at COP-in-my-City 2024, Nawab underscored the importance of engaging youth in climate action, particularly in Pakistan. He emphasized his team’s efforts to localize COP’s impact in Pakistan, with the aim of sending around 10 youth delegates to COP29 in Baku. Nawab expressed concerns about the limited availability of Blue Zone passes and respectfully requested support from President Babayev in securing passes for these young leaders. He also proposed a meeting between the youth delegates and the President during COP29.
“We are working to bring 10 youth delegates to COP29 to ensure the voices of young leaders are heard. Securing passes for these delegates would greatly enhance our contribution to this global effort,” said Nawab.
Nawab also took the opportunity to acknowledge the vital role played by the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum and COP29 NGO Coalition team, in amplifying the voices of civil society, particularly from the Global South.
The meeting was also joined by Ms. Nigar Arpadarai, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29, and Leyla Hasanova, the Youth Climate Champion for COP29 Azerbaijan, highlighting the importance of multi-level leadership in climate action.
The meeting was lauded by participants for its open dialogue and the strong collaboration between the COP29 Presidency, the Azerbaijani government, and international civil society. Nawab concluded by extending best wishes from Pakistan to Azerbaijan, reaffirming the deep bond between the two nations:
“Pakistan is proud to see our brother country excel on the global stage, and we extend our heartfelt support as Azerbaijan leads the charge in addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time.”
