The Government of Azerbaijan and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) are establishing a new global award in the field of sustainable urban development – the Baku Urban Award.
elchi reports that the official presentation ceremony of the new international award, the Baku Urban Award, established at the initiative of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan in partnership with the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to promote and scale up advanced urban solutions in the field of sustainable urban development and affordable housing within the framework of WUF13, has been held.
The Baku Urban Award is being formed as a global platform aimed at promoting practical urban solutions with long-term social, economic, and environmental impact potential at the international level.
The award will be one of the main lasting legacies of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13). The award is intended not to be limited to the Forum’s framework, but to serve as an international mechanism for the long-term promotion of the global urban agenda.
The initiative involves the integration of three main directions:
– practical solutions already implemented by urban planning professionals;
– expert knowledge and scientifically grounded approaches;
– integration of successful practices into national and international policies.
Evaluation will be carried out by an independent jury consisting of leading international experts in the fields of architecture, urban planning, housing provision, climate resilience, finance, and civil society. The award will be an open platform for participants representing all regions of the world.
The establishment of the Baku Urban Award is the next manifestation of Azerbaijan’s long-term commitment to the global urban and climate agenda. Initiatives implemented in this direction include hosting COP29, the promotion of the “Multisectoral Action Pathways (MAP) for Sustainable and Healthy Cities” and “Baku Sustainability Coalition” initiatives, co-chairing the UN-Habitat Open Intergovernmental Working Group on “Affordable Housing for All,” as well as Baku hosting WUF13.
Azerbaijan’s cooperation with UN-Habitat has been consistently developing since the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Urban Planning Forum in 2022. Within the framework of this cooperation, joint projects are being implemented in the field of urban development. This also includes the organization of three National Urban Planning Forums in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, as well as events held in Baku on the occasion of World Habitat Day in 2023.