UN-Habitat: WUF13 to leave lasting impact in Azerbaijan PHOTO

The 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku should leave a lasting impact in Azerbaijan by fostering partnerships and professional networks, rather than focusing solely on participant numbers, the Head of the UN-Habitat Country Office in Azerbaijan, Anna Soave, said.

Soave spoke at a training for NGOs on "The Role of Civil Society in Sustainable Urban Development," highlighting strong engagement from the Azerbaijani government and ongoing preparations for the event, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

She noted that Azerbaijani NGOs have submitted proposals across 90 areas, while globally, around 1,400 applications were received, 350 of which will be selected. 

According to Soave, alternative participation formats, including roundtables and discussion panels, will be offered for initiatives not chosen, ensuring broad engagement and knowledge exchange.

WUF13 will be held in Baku from May 17 to 22, 2026. Organised in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Azerbaijani government, the forum will bring together representatives from national and local governments, the private sector, civil society, youth networks, academia, and international organisations worldwide.

By Jeyhun Aghazada