World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13)
Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities
📅 Date: 17 – 22 May 2026
đź“Ť Location: Baku, Azerbaijan
The World Urban Forum (WUF13), convened by UN-Habitat and co-hosted by the Government of Azerbaijan, is the United Nations’ premier global platform on sustainable urbanization. Held every two years, the Forum brings together governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector to address the most pressing challenges facing cities worldwide.
The 13th session will take place in Baku from 17 to 22 May 2026, focusing on the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.” It will spotlight the urgent need to tackle the global housing crisis and position housing as a key driver for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
At the midpoint of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, WUF13 will play a critical role in shaping global urban policy discussions, fostering partnerships, and advancing practical solutions on issues such as climate resilience, urban recovery, land management, and inclusive governance.
The UN4UkrainianCities initiative, led by UNECE in cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and partners, will be actively represented at WUF13. Through its participation, the initiative will showcase its work on urban recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine, highlighting pilot projects in cities as Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, while contributing to global discussions on housing, resilience, and post-crisis urban planning. It will also present practical tools and lessons learned in bridging policy frameworks with on-the-ground implementation.
WUF13 provides a key opportunity to position Ukraine’s recovery efforts within the global urban agenda, reinforcing the importance of integrated planning, legislative reform, and the development of investment-ready projects in post-crisis contexts.