WUF13 officially opens in Baku

The opening ceremony of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) has got underway in Baku.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva are attending the event.

President Ilham Aliyev and Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach welcomed the heads of state and government, as well as the heads of delegations participating in the session.

The head of state stressed that this is the second biggest international event ever held in Azerbaijan after COP29.

He stressed that urban planning not only for Baku, but for many cities of Azerbaijan is something that they work on on a daily basis.

"So this natural harmony in Baku, between old and new, between the preservation of our historical heritage and need for urban planning and modernization, really is a vivid demonstration of the talent of our ancestors," Ilham Aliyev said.

The WUF13 Urban Expo is the largest exhibition space at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF). In total, 260 participating organizations from 85 countries are represented in 122 stands and pavilions.