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, Trend
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.
