BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. The second day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) got underway in Baku on Monday, bringing together tens of thousands of participants from around the world to discuss the future of sustainable cities and urban development, TurkicWorld reports.
More than 40,000 participants from 182 countries have registered for the forum, making it one of the largest gatherings in the history of the World Urban Forum, one of the world’s leading platforms focused on urban planning and sustainable development.
The forum, which runs through May 22, is jointly organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Government of Azerbaijan. Held under the theme "Inhabiting the World: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities," WUF13 is focusing on issues including the global housing crisis, sustainable urbanization, climate resilience and modern urban governance.
The opening day featured a ministerial meeting and a roundtable discussion dedicated to the New Urban Agenda. Organizers also held an official flag-raising ceremony for the United Nations and Azerbaijan.
Several major assemblies and panel discussions took place during the first day, including sessions focused on civil society initiatives, gender-inclusive urban strategies, private-sector leadership in housing, local government cooperation and social inclusion through housing policies.
International delegates and urban development experts described the Baku forum as an important platform for sharing experience in sustainable development, digital innovation, accessible housing and environmentally focused urban planning. Participants also praised Azerbaijan’s organization of the event and said the forum could help shape future urban development models worldwide.
Volunteers at Baku Olympic Stadium assisted participants and media representatives throughout the opening day.
Monday’s program includes an official press conference highlighting priorities such as the global housing crisis, sustainable city planning and strengthening urban resilience.
One of the key additions to this year’s forum is the introduction of the Leaders Summit, being held for the first time in WUF history. Organizers say the summit further strengthens the forum’s international political and strategic significance.
The day’s schedule also includes the Joint Closing Ceremony of the Assemblies, a ministerial meeting for the African region and a session of MINURVI, the Forum of Ministers and High-Level Officials for Housing and Urbanization in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Presentations on reconstruction projects in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories are also expected to draw international attention. Officials plan to showcase "smart city" and "smart village" initiatives in Karabakh and East Zangezur, as well as projects tied to the region’s "green energy zone" strategy.
Officials say hosting WUF13 highlights Azerbaijan’s growing role in international cooperation and provides an opportunity to present the country’s experience in sustainable development and modern urban planning to a global audience.
Simultaneous interpretation is being provided in the six official U.N. languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish — as well as Azerbaijani and Turkish.
