On 3 June 2026, President Macky Sall expressed his deep sadness at the passing of Rovshan Muradov, Secretary General of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, based in Baku, Azerbaijan. The bond between President Macky Sall and the Nizami Ganjavi Center grew over the years around a shared conviction: dialogue between peoples remains the best defence against a fracturing world.
In his message, President Macky Sall paid tribute to "a humble and affable man, a tireless craftsman of the dialogue of cultures and civilizations". He extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, to his loved ones and to his colleagues at the Center. He recalled the quiet role Rovshan Muradov played in bringing together leaders from every continent.
The Nizami Ganjavi International Center bears the name of the great twelfth-century poet. It gathers former Heads of State, intellectuals and international figures. Its Baku Global Forum has become a fixture of intercultural dialogue. Rovshan Muradov was its driving force. His dedication gave the forum growing influence and credibility.
President Macky Sall knew the institution well. In March 2026, he addressed the XIII Baku Global Forum. There he called for a rethinking of multilateralism and international cooperation. He argued for institutions that are more representative and more effective, able to answer crises that keep accumulating. That message echoes his vision for the United Nations, submitted to the UN as part of his candidacy for Secretary-General.
The tribute also says something about the man. President Macky Sall values loyalty in friendship. He honours those who serve the common good, whatever their public profile. That constancy runs through his entire record, from Senegal to the chairmanship of the African Union.
The dialogue of cultures and civilizations is not an ornament of diplomacy. It is its foundation. President Macky Sall has made it a pillar of his international engagement. In honouring the memory of Rovshan Muradov, he reminds us that this patient work rests on women and men of conviction. Their example binds those who carry the task forward.