BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. Icherisheher can become the world's first historical reserve where the "smart city" concept will be implemented in the format of a "smart reserve", Chairman of the Board of the “Icherisheher” State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration Rufat Mahmud said, Trend reports.
The official made the remark at an event titled “Digital Transformation in Historic Cities Smart Heritage” in Baku within the framework of the 13th Session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13).
According to him, the concept envisions integrating heritage, the local community, and modern technologies into a unified management system for the historic city.
Mahmud noted that digital services for tourists and residents are already being implemented as part of the project. Specifically, a mobile app provides information about all the museums, hotels, and restaurants in Icherisheher, as well as navigation along the historic streets.
"Even people living in Icherisheher can sometimes get lost in the narrow streets, but thanks to the integrated navigation, this problem is solved," he said.
The head of the administration also emphasized that special attention is being paid to transportation and parking. According to him, traffic in historical cities should be limited, but not completely banned, as this impacts the quality of life of local residents.
Mahmud announced that the Icherisheher administration signed a memorandum of understanding with an Azerbaijani bank on strategic cooperation within the framework of the "smart reserve" concept. The agreement envisages the integration of digital and banking services for tourists and visitors.
He pointed out that future plans include the complete digitalization of services, as well as the implementation of digital solutions in the field of monument and cultural heritage protection.
According to Mahmud, UN-Habitat representatives and international experts have already called this approach innovative.
"This could become the first smart nature reserve in the world, and we are proud of it," he stressed.
Mahmud added that foreign guests and WUF13 participants highly praised the attention and care shown to Icherisheher by the Azerbaijani administration and government.
Today marks the final day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
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.
One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and the Turkish city of Trabzon.
The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.
The fifth day of WUF13 continued discussions on the global housing crisis, the creation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, the use of artificial intelligence in urban management, green urbanization, and social equality.
One of the important events of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the “Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”
Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and Decision-Making” was held.
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.
