BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The 13th Session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13) once again demonstrated the global reach of the UN-Habitat platform, Anar Guliyev, chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and national coordinator of WUF13, said during the forum’s official closing press conference in Baku, Trend reports.
Guliyev said the forum attracted a total of 53,500 participants. Nearly 50,000 attended in person, while more than 3,000 joined online. More than 400 key events were held during the forum.
The main program featured around 400 speakers from 125 countries, including 340 international participants and 60 representatives from Azerbaijan.
According to Guliyev, WUF13 introduced several major initiatives expected to influence the future of the forum and international urban cooperation.
He noted that the Leaders’ Session, organized for the first time at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, became one of the central highlights of WUF13. The session brought together 27 heads of state and government, senior officials, and leaders of international organizations.
“The participation of high-level guests clearly demonstrated strong political will to advance sustainable urban development and the global urban agenda,” Guliyev said. “It also reflected a shared commitment to adequate housing for all and the development of sustainable communities.”
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.
