BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 30. An information
session was held for media representatives to ensure effective
communication on the thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum
(WUF13) to be held in Baku in May 2026, Trend reports.
During the session held on 30 January, media representatives
were provided with in-depth information on WUF13, alongside
opportunities for discussion and networking with officials from the
Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the Presidential
Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Committee
for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
the Media Development Agency, the Audiovisual Council, the Press
Council, the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, and the United
Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Delivering the opening remarks, Jamala Aliyeva, a representative
of the Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the
Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and
Coordinator of the WUF13 Communications Group, highlighted
Azerbaijan’s strong track record in hosting major international
events, underlined the vital role played by the media in their
delivery, and outlined the WUF13 Communications Group’s core
priorities.
Speaking to media representatives, Katerina Bezgachina, Chief of
Communications at UN-Habitat, who is currently visiting Azerbaijan,
provided an overview of the history, objectives and significance of
the World Urban Forum. She said the theme of WUF13, “Housing the
World: Safe and resilient cities and communities”, captures the key
challenges facing cities today. The event, she added, will mark the
tenth anniversary of the New Urban Agenda and provide an important
opportunity to place housing at the heart of global priorities for
the decade ahead.
Jamila Ismayilzada, Substantive Content Manager at the WUF13
Azerbaijan Operations Company, spoke about the significance of
hosting the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum in
Azerbaijan for advancing sustainable urban development and outlined
the activities planned in this regard.
During the session, Eldar Rasulov, Media Relations Manager at
the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, said a dedicated media
centre will operate to ensure comprehensive coverage of the 40 main
sessions and some 350 partner-led events taking place within WUF13.
He invited media representatives to complete the accreditation
process and outlined the facilities and opportunities that will be
made available to the media during the event.
Media registration for WUF13, scheduled to take place from 17 to
22 May 2026, is currently under way. All media representatives
wishing to cover the event are required to apply for accreditation
via the official registration system of UN-Habitat at https://events.unhabitat.org/
