Flag-raising ceremony held for WUF13 in Baku

A flag-raising ceremony for Azerbaijan and the United Nations was held at the Baku Olympic Stadium on May 17, marking the commencement of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the ceremony was attended by Anar Guliyev, the National Coordinator of WUF13 and Chairman of the State Committee for City Planning and Architecture, alongside Anaclaudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The raising of the flags symbolizes the official start of the session and underscores the high international significance of the event hosted in Baku.

The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations in 2001, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. WUF13 serves as a critical platform for policymakers, urban planners, and civil society to address the challenges of rapid urban growth and climate change. Azerbaijan's hosting of this session reflects the country's growing role in international urban development initiatives and its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11 regarding sustainable cities and communities.