BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. At the initiative of
Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and
Founder and Head of the IDEA Public Union, and in partnership with
the "Clean Air Fund" (CAF), a high-level forum was organized within
the framework of the 13th Session of the UN World Urban Forum
(WUF13) under the theme "Breathing Life into the New Urban Agenda:
Integrating Air Quality and Green Infrastructure for Resilient
Cities," Trend
reports.
An address by Leyla Aliyeva to the event participants was
delivered at the opening of the forum. In her address, Leyla
Aliyeva noted that air quality holds vital importance in terms of
the health and well-being of urban residents, as well as securing a
safe living environment for future generations. It was stated that
the issue of clean air must become one of the priorities of the
modern urban planning agenda. Information was also shared regarding
the activities carried out by the IDEA Public Union, the
rehabilitation of residential courtyards under the "Our Yard"
project, as well as ongoing efforts in tree planting, public
awareness raising, and the promotion of sustainable transport. The
attention of the participants was drawn to the critical need for
international efforts to reduce air pollution and build greener,
more resilient, and human-centered cities.
Speaking during the formal part of the event, Elizabeth Maruma
Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP); Anna Soave, Head of the UN-Habitat Country
Programme in Azerbaijan; Gulshan Rzayeva, Deputy Head of the
Administration of the State Committee on Urban Planning and
Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Umayra Taghiyeva,
Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources; and Cecilia Vaca
Jones, representative of CAF, noted in their speeches that reducing
urban air pollution is of critical importance for protecting human
health, strengthening climate resilience, and creating a
higher-quality living environment.
The event then continued with panel discussions. Elnur Safarov,
an expert from the IDEA Public Union; Mahir Aliyev, Regional
Coordinator for UNEP; and other participants, discussed
international practices and practical approaches toward improving
urban air quality, addressing ecological challenges, and mitigating
impacts on human health.
At the conclusion of the event, a communique titled the "Baku
Call for Action for Breathing Cities" was adopted. The communique
reflects calls for recognizing clean air as one of the core
principles of modern urban planning, permanently including it as a
recurring topic on the agenda of future World Urban Forums, and
promoting closer cooperation across urban planning, transport,
housing policy, green infrastructure, and public health.
Within the framework of the high-level forum, an exhibition was
also presented featuring various visual materials from the Clean
Air Fund, UNEP, and other partners, alongside works by participants
of the "Children’s Eyes on Earth" international photography
project.
