The Organizing Committee established for the coordination of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held a meeting on May 7 to review the status of preparations. AZERTAC reports that Samir Nuriyev, Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, opened the meeting by noting that Baku is prepared to host one of the world's most prestigious international platforms for urban planning and sustainable development from May 17 to 22.
During the session, Samir Nuriyev emphasized that hosting global events has become a tradition under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He highlighted that WUF13 is of significant importance for presenting Azerbaijan's modern urban vision, its contributions to the sustainable development agenda, and the large-scale restoration and construction models currently being implemented in the liberated territories. It was noted that the declaration of 2026 as the "Year of Urban Planning and Architecture" in Azerbaijan further enhances the significance of the forum. To date, more than 28,000 individuals from 177 countries have registered to participate, with approximately half representing foreign delegations, signaling high international interest.
The Chairman also pointed out a major innovation for the forum: the "Leaders' Statements" segment, introduced at Azerbaijan's initiative. This segment aims to elevate urban planning and sustainable settlement issues to a high-level global discussion. The meeting concluded with reports from committee members on logistics, protocol, and transportation, followed by instructions from Samir Nuriyev to ensure the final stages of preparation are completed in an operative and coordinated manner. The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations, serves as the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization, examining the impact of rapid urbanization on communities, cities, and economies.
