BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. A forum titled "Rethinking Cultural Heritage and Inclusive Urban Regeneration" took place within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
Speaking at the forum, Ismail Serageldin, cultural expert, founder of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and former Vice President of the World Bank, stated that when preserving historical sites in developing cities, policymakers must answer the questions of "what, how, and for whom are we preserving and conserving?" According to him, the preservation process must encompass not only individual buildings but the overall character of the city, taking social, economic, environmental, and physical factors into account. Concurrently, local community participation must undergo guarantees, investments must be mobilized, and human displacement minimized.
Adib Benbrahim, Secretary of State to the Minister of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing, and Urban Policy of the Kingdom of Morocco, stated that identity must be preserved during urban regeneration. He emphasized that if a building undergoes demolition and reconstruction, this process requires careful planning, with historical and social value factored in comprehensively.
Inti Muñoz, Housing Minister of Mexico City, Mexico, noted that urban regeneration must be carried out in a manner that maintains social, cultural, and economic balance. In his view, this approach prevents potential negative social consequences while simultaneously strengthening the city's economic resilience.
Elisabet Cirici, Director General for Territorial Planning, Urbanism, and Architecture of the Government of Catalonia, Kingdom of Spain, stated during her address that regeneration must not limit itself to physical renewal, but must ground itself in principles of social justice and inclusivity. She noted that social issues must absolutely find their solutions within this process: "Particularly, areas such as housing provision, employment, access to public services, and the protection of vulnerable groups must remain under the spotlight."
Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), remarked that protecting cultural heritage means not only preserving the past but also shaping the identity of future cities. "Cultural development remains impossible without this component; concurrently, sustainable development cannot fully materialize without the preservation of cultural heritage," she noted.
Sabina Hajiyeva, Head of the State Service for Conservation, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, spoke on the experience of Icherisheher (Old City). According to her, when discussing regeneration, the conversation must center on protecting the overall structure rather than an isolated building: "For example, people continue to reside in Icherisheher today. Tremendous effort went into its preservation. We do not view it solely as a tourist zone; it simultaneously reflects living history."
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
