BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12. The 13th session of
the World Urban Forum (WUF13) is scheduled to commence on May 17,
2026, in Baku, marking a record-setting event with approximately
30,000 registered participants from 178 countries, making it one of
the largest gatherings in UN-Habitat’s history.


The forum will be held under the slogan "Housing the World: Safe
and Resilient Cities and Communities," and comes at the midpoint of
the implementation of the 2016 New Urban Agenda (NUA), continuing
the work of WUF12 in Cairo and setting directions through 2029.


While UN-Habitat oversees the substantive content, Azerbaijan is
responsible for organization and logistics. Final meetings of the
Organizing Committee confirmed the readiness of all systems,
including protocol and the volunteer corps. Preparations include a
volunteer program and the AUC2026 information campaign to attract
participants and inform the public.


Participant registration has demonstrated dynamic growth: from
10,000 in January to 23,350 people from 175 countries by the end of
April, with numbers approaching 30,000 by the start of the
conference.


"It is gratifying that 13.3% of this number are business
entities. This is the highest figure in the history of the World
Urban Forum," said WUF13 National Coordinator and Chairman of the
State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Anar Guliyev,
during an event on "Entrepreneurship Development is a Strong
Economy" in Baku.


The WUF13 program includes a Ministerial Meeting, strategic
dialogues on the housing crisis and climate, over 370 partner
events, the Urban Expo, and the Practices Hub, where practical
solutions and innovations will be showcased.


One of the key points of the forum will be Azerbaijan's
experience in the reconstruction of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur.
Projects in Zangilan and other liberated territories will be
presented as models of post-conflict urban revival. The regional
context will be enriched by ambitious mega-projects from
neighboring countries: Turkmenistan’s Arkadag Smart City,
Kazakhstan’s Alatau City, and Uzbekistan’s large-scale New
Tashkent. China, in turn, plans to showcase the Xiongan district -
a $140 billion project aiming to become a benchmark for low-carbon
development.


Additionally, a WUF13 festival is taking place across
Azerbaijani cities to inform the public about this important
event.


As the forum approaches, its significance for the global
community becomes increasingly evident. WUF13 focuses on pressing
issues of housing, urbanization, and climate challenges, serving as
a platform for developing practical solutions.


The potential outcomes of the forum are as follows: most likely,
the “Baku Call to Action” will receive strong political and
financial support, giving a boost to affordable housing
construction by 2030. In a more practical scenario, the focus will
shift to technology exchange and strengthening the role of private
capital in local sustainability projects.


In any case, the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku will
demonstrate the world’s readiness to move from conceptual
discussions to actual construction of safe and sustainable cities
of the future.