BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. The youth must play a
key role in shaping cities that reflect the cultural identity and
real needs of local communities, African Youth Leadership Forum
representative from Rwanda, Umuhoza Natete Verite said at an
international conference entitled "The Role of Youth in Urban
Development in the Process of Decolonization" within the framework
of the 13th session of the World Forum of Cities (WUF13) in Baku,
Trend reports.


"Many of our cities were built based on models established by
colonial powers, and these models do not reflect our culture,
values, and way of life," she said.


According to Verite, decolonizing urbanization means reclaiming
our own identity in urban space.


"We must build cities that reflect who we are and how we want to
live," she noted.


She emphasized that youth must be the driving force behind these
changes, as they make up the majority of the population in
countries in the Global South.


Speaking about approaches to urban development, the Rwandan
representative emphasized the need to shift to a bottom-up model
based on local community participation.


"Very often, decisions are made from above without consultation
with the population. A bottom-up approach gives people and young
people the opportunity to participate in creating the cities they
want to live in," Verite said.


As an example, she cited the Rwandan Umuganda initiative, which
brings together residents to improve their neighborhoods, build
housing for vulnerable groups, and discuss local community
issues.


"This is an example of how solutions emerge from within the
community, rather than being imposed from outside," she
stressed.







According to Verite, young people must actively utilize
innovation, creativity, and professional skills to create
sustainable and inclusive cities.


"We must promote an approach that allows young people's voices
to be heard and truly makes our cities our own," she added.


Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.


The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.


The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.