From May 17 to 22, an international event - WUF13 will be held in Baku.
Medianews.az reports that WUF is the abbreviation for the World Urban Forum in English.
This forum, considered the world's most important global urban planning conference, is organized under the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The event in Baku is called WUF13 because so far, 12 sessions of the United Nations World Urban Forum have been held.
The decision to hold the 13th session in Baku was made by the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2023.
In December 2023, an agreement was signed between the Azerbaijani government and the UN on Baku hosting WUF13. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Azerbaijani government by Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, and by Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme ("UN-Habitat").
In April 2025, President Ilham Aliyev appointed Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, as the national coordinator of WUF13.
In June 2025, the country’s president also established the Organizing Committee related to holding WUF13 in Baku. The chairman of the Organizing Committee is Samir Nuriyev, Head of the Presidential Administration.
According to a 2001 UN resolution, the World Urban Forum is held every two years. The first session - WUF1 - was held in Nairobi (Kenya) in 2002. Subsequently, every two years, WUF2 was held in Barcelona (Spain), WUF3 in Vancouver (Canada), WUF4 in Nanjing (China), WUF5 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), WUF6 in Naples (Italy), WUF7 in Medellin (Colombia), WUF9 in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), WUF10 in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), WUF11 in Katowice (Poland), and WUF12 in Cairo (Egypt).
More than 20,000 people are expected to participate in WUF13.
The theme of the forum in Baku will be: “Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Settlements.”
Already, the number of media representatives accredited to participate in WUF13 has exceeded 800. More than half of them are local journalists.
During May 17-22, when WUF13 will be held, some changes will be made in the organization of the teaching and educational process in educational institutions operating in Baku (excluding preschool and boarding general education institutions). The holidays for preschool preparatory groups and primary school classes in general education institutions will be from May 18 to 22 instead of May 1-5.
Moreover, except for the districts of Pirallahi, Qaradag, Surakhani, Sabunchu, and Nizami, lessons for grades V-XI in general education institutions operating in other districts of Baku will be conducted remotely from May 18 to 22.
At the same time, teaching in vocational, secondary specialized, and higher education institutions located in the capital will also be conducted remotely from May 18 to 22.