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On 8 May, an information session dedicated to the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) was held at Ganja State University, bringing together teachers and students as part of wider efforts to raise public awareness of the Event.
Among those addressing the event were Gulsum Fataliyeva, Associate Professor and Vice-Rector for Humanitarian Affairs at Ganja State University; Ramiz Idrisoghlu, representative of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Eldar Rasulov, Senior Manager for Content and Media Relations at the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, who outlined key aspects of WUF13.
Gulsum Fataliyeva, in her remarks, briefed participants on the ancient history, cultural heritage and key stages in the development of the city of Ganja.
Ramiz Idrisoghlu noted that Azerbaijan’s hosting of WUF13, dedicated to the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”, is no coincidence. He highlighted that Azerbaijan has been elected to the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and, by co-chairing the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Adequate Housing for All, is making a direct contribution to shaping the global urban agenda. He also drew attention to Azerbaijan’s active participation in the Expert Working Group on the development of international guidelines for people-centred smart cities.
Ramiz Idrisoghlu also highlighted Azerbaijan’s achievements in the field of urban development, placing particular emphasis on the large-scale reconstruction efforts under way in the liberated territories.
Eldar Rasulov invited the university’s academic staff and students to take part in WUF13, noting that the Event Programme has now been released. He added that participants will be able to join both in person and online, and encouraged those interested to visit www.wuf13.az for further information on events taking place as part of WUF13.
The WUF13 Festival will continue into the evening with an open-air public programme scheduled to commence at 18:00.
Through a programme of interactive activities, educational games, presentations and public discussions, audiences will be engaged with themes including sustainable urban development, inclusive urban environments, innovative urban solutions and the cities of the future. Detailed insight into the Event’s core themes and guiding ideas will also be shared with participants throughout the programme.
