As part of the 13th Session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13), a joint session titled “Advancing Housing through Multilateralism: From Global Commitments to Local Impact” was held at the Azerbaijan Pavilion.

Axar.az reports, moderated by Benedetto Zacchiroli, Chair of the UNESCO International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities and President of the European Coalition of Cities against Racism, the session brought together Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture and National Coordinator for WUF13; Mladen Ivanic, former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Patricia Scotland, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; and Maimunah Mohd Sharif, former Mayor of Kuala Lumpur and former Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

The session highlighted that cities are not only centres of economic growth and innovation, but also stand at the forefront of addressing housing shortages, limited land resources, climate risks, and social inclusion. At the same time, local authorities often lack sufficient financial resources and institutional capacity to implement large-scale solutions.

The event was jointly organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SCUPA).