The program of partner events organized within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), which will be held in Baku from May 17 to 22, 2026, has already been announced and includes more than 370 events reflecting both the creativity and active participation of stakeholders representing various countries of the world.
According to the information provided by the Operating Company to “Elchi”, these events will be organized around the theme “Home for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements”.
It was stated that partner events, as one of the key elements of WUF13, create a platform for sharing ideas, solutions, and practical experiences that shape the global urban agenda by bringing together local and national governments, civil society institutions, academic circles, the private sector, local initiative groups, and UN agencies. These sessions not only ensure that discussions on sustainable urbanization are conducted on the basis of real experience and cooperation by combining global perspectives and local solutions, but also play an important role in fostering dialogue, strengthening partnerships, and accelerating actions taken to make cities more sustainable.
Check out the full text of the program and get detailed information about each of the event categories below.
“Voices of Cities”: Local perspectives driving global change – Combining more than 50 events, the “Voices of Cities” category highlights the perspectives of local governments, as well as community leaders and local initiative groups.
“One UN”: Promoting global commitments in the field of urban planning – “One UN” events demonstrate how the sustainable urbanization process is promoted by UN agencies against the backdrop of different regions and different conditions.
“SDGs in Action”: Moving from commitments to implementation – The main goal of the “SDGs in Action” category, which includes more than 30 events, is to ensure that global commitments are turned into concrete results.
Networking events: Connections built for future partnerships – Covering more than 170 events, Networking events provide participants with the opportunity to connect with global leaders in sustainable urban planning, experts who apply their knowledge in practice, and individuals who are driving innovation.
WUF Academy: Building knowledge and capacity for the future of sustainable urban planning – The new WUF Academy will contribute to capacity building and accelerating progress towards sustainable urbanization by creating a platform that offers more than 30 opportunities for experts who apply their knowledge in practice, as well as higher education institutions and experts.
“Urban Library” and “Urban Cinema”: Knowledge exchange and presentation of real-life stories for the transformation of urban planning – Combining more than 30 events, the “Urban Library” provides participants with a platform to get acquainted with the latest research, publications, and reliable data on urban planning.
