The Opening Ceremony of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event. Bringing together more than 45,000 participants from 182 countries, the WUF-13 became one of the largest international events hosted by Azerbaijan following COP29.

During his speech, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the importance of balancing urban development with the preservation of historical heritage. He also emphasised that sustainable development and improving people’s quality of life remain among the key priorities. As part of the opening ceremony, presentations were delivered on large-scale reconstruction and redevelopment projects in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, as well as environmental transformation initiatives implemented in Baku.

The opening ceremony continued with official speeches, video messages, and a rich cultural programme.