BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 30. An information session was held for media representatives to ensure effective communication on the thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) to be held in Baku in May 2026, Trend reports.
During the session held on 30 January, media representatives were provided with in-depth information on WUF13, alongside opportunities for discussion and networking with officials from the Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Media Development Agency, the Audiovisual Council, the Press Council, the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Delivering the opening remarks, Jamala Aliyeva, a representative of the Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Coordinator of the WUF13 Communications Group, highlighted Azerbaijan’s strong track record in hosting major international events, underlined the vital role played by the media in their delivery, and outlined the WUF13 Communications Group’s core priorities.
Speaking to media representatives, Katerina Bezgachina, Chief of Communications at UN-Habitat, who is currently visiting Azerbaijan, provided an overview of the history, objectives and significance of the World Urban Forum. She said the theme of WUF13, “Housing the World: Safe and resilient cities and communities”, captures the key challenges facing cities today. The event, she added, will mark the tenth anniversary of the New Urban Agenda and provide an important opportunity to place housing at the heart of global priorities for the decade ahead.
Jamila Ismayilzada, Substantive Content Manager at the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, spoke about the significance of hosting the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan for advancing sustainable urban development and outlined the activities planned in this regard.
During the session, Eldar Rasulov, Media Relations Manager at the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, said a dedicated media centre will operate to ensure comprehensive coverage of the 40 main sessions and some 350 partner-led events taking place within WUF13. He invited media representatives to complete the accreditation process and outlined the facilities and opportunities that will be made available to the media during the event.
Media registration for WUF13, scheduled to take place from 17 to 22 May 2026, is currently under way. All media representatives wishing to cover the event are required to apply for accreditation via the official registration system of UN-Habitat at https://events.unhabitat.org/
