An awareness-raising event dedicated to the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), organized by the UN-Habitat and to be held in Baku from May 17 to 22, 2026, was organized at Azerbaijan University. Presentations at the event were delivered by Assoc. Prof. Safar Mammadov, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Assoc. Prof. Elvin Talyshinski, Head of the Department of Political and Social Sciences, PhD in Political Sciences.

In the speeches, it was noted that the World Urban Forum has been organized by UN-Habitat since 2001. During the sessions held within the framework of the Forum, which was established to address one of the most pressing global challenges - rapid urbanization and its impact on cities, the economy, and climate change - thousands of participants engaged in all aspects of urbanization have the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge on how cities are built, planned, and managed.

It was also emphasized that hosting the 13th session of the Forum in Azerbaijan is of great importance. It was noted that WUF13 is an important platform for presenting Azerbaijan’s activities in the field of urban development and its vision for the future to the world. Hosting such a prestigious international event in Baku, where global urbanization challenges and solutions will be discussed, is an indicator of our country’s growing international prestige. At the same time, it will significantly contribute to positioning Azerbaijan as a reliable partner in global urbanization processes, a safe and favorable venue for international dialogue, and a regional leader.

It should be noted that the World Urban Forum is one of the world’s largest international platforms dedicated to sustainable urban development, established by UN-Habitat. The 13th session of the Forum, to be held in Baku under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”, will bring together representatives of government, academia, business, and civil society for a global dialogue on the future of cities.

Public Relations Department