President Aliyev: WUF13 attracts record number of participants in Baku UPDATED

The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) has opened in Baku, gathering what officials describe as a record number of participants, underscoring Azerbaijan’s growing role as a host of major international events.

“We have probably the record number of the registered participants,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during his speech at the opening ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Caliber.Az reports via state media.

The President noted that the scale of the forum makes it one of the largest international gatherings ever held in the country.

“So this is the second biggest international event ever held in Azerbaijan after COP29, which was held one year and a half ago,” the head of state noted.

Addressing international guests, Aliyev expressed hope that their visit would help them better understand Azerbaijan and its capital.

“I think that during these days in Baku, many of our guests, who visited us for the first time, will have opportunity to know our country, our city better, and to see with their own eyes what is being done in Azerbaijan with respect to urban development,” Aliyev said.

Highlighting Azerbaijan’s geographic position between Europe and Asia, the head of state also pointed to its reflection in urban and architectural development.

The president further emphasized that Baku’s urban landscape reflects a careful balance between preservation and modernization.

“So this natural harmony in Baku, between old and new, between the preservation of our historical heritage and need for urban planning and modernization, really is a vivid demonstration of the talent of our ancestors,” Aliyev said.

Continuing his remarks, the head of state underlined that urban development remains a constant priority for Azerbaijan.

“Urban planning not only for Baku, but for many cities of Azerbaijan is something that we work on on a daily basis,” the Azerbaijani leader underlined.

The president also noted that 2026 has been declared the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture by his decree, highlighting the state’s focus on the sector.