Baku Hosts Largest-Ever World Urban Forum with Over 40,000 Participants
The 13th World Urban Forum opened on Saturday, May 17, at the Olympic Stadium in Baku. This event, attended by more than 40,000 participants from 182 countries, is recognized as the largest edition in the forum’s history. The program will run until May 22 and is jointly hosted by the government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
According to organizers, government officials, urban planning experts, investors, university professors, and representatives from international organizations and civil society are participating in the event. The discussions focus on sustainable urban development, resilience to climate change, affordable housing, digital transformation, and the development of environmentally friendly cities.
One of the main focuses of this forum is Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and development plans for the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions. Azerbaijani officials are set to introduce “smart city” and “smart village” projects in areas damaged by the previous conflict, along with programs aiming to transform these regions into green energy zones.
The event is also seen as an opportunity for Azerbaijan to present its long-term vision for sustainable urban planning and regional development to a global audience. For the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum, a special section titled “Leaders’ Meeting” has been organized, aiming to enhance high-level political dialogue on global urban challenges.
To facilitate broad international participation, simultaneous interpretation is provided in the six official United Nations languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish — as well as Azerbaijani and Turkish. Representatives from regional and international media are also present in Baku to cover the discussions and outcomes of the forum live.
