Azerbaijan celebrates World Cities Day with focus on UNESCO Creative Cities Network

On October 31, the Ministry of Culture hosted a roundtable at the Heydar Aliyev Centre to mark World Cities Day, focusing on the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Presentations were made regarding the cities of Sheki, Baku, and Lankaran, all of which are part of the Creative Cities Network, Caliber.Az reports.

The discussions highlighted the achievements made during their membership, noting that these cities have implemented various projects and organised events aimed at fostering creativity both locally and internationally.

During the meeting, it was announced that efforts are underway to submit nominations to the UNESCO secretariat for the inclusion of additional cities from Azerbaijan into the Network.

Notably, the United Nations General Assembly established October 31 as World Cities Day through resolution 68/239. This observance aims to enhance global interest in urbanisation, foster international cooperation in addressing urban challenges, and support sustainable urban development worldwide.

According to the UN's official website, urbanisation has the potential to create new avenues for social inclusion, promoting greater equality, access to services, and diverse opportunities. However, the reality of urban development often reflects significant inequality and exclusion, frequently exceeding national averages. This undermines sustainable development that benefits all.

In 2014, UN-Habitat launched Urban October to highlight urban challenges and engage the global community in achieving the New Urban Agenda. Sustainable Development Goal 11 seeks to ensure that cities and human settlements are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, reinforcing the mission of UN-Habitat.

Since 1980, urban inequality has increased, particularly in the world's largest cities. The 2024 theme focuses on inclusive cities, essential for the urban transition outlined in the New Urban Agenda.

The HABITAT III Conference in Quito in October 2016 introduced a new framework aimed at sustainable urban development, advocating a reimagining of how cities are planned, managed, and lived in. This agenda will guide responses to urbanisation challenges for the next two decades and is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all 193 UN Member States in September 2015.

For 2024, the theme is "Youth Leading Climate and Local Action for Cities," emphasising the role of young people in addressing climate change as urban populations are expected to reach 70% by 2050.

By Aghakazim Guliyev