Save the date 17 – 22 May 2026, Baku, Azerbaijan
“Housing the world:Safe and resilient citiesand communities”
Welcome to the WUF13 newsletter! Here you’ll find the latest updates on the programme, advocacy efforts, and opportunities to engage as we prepare for the world’s premier forum on sustainable urbanization.
Registration for WUF13 is open!
The journey to Baku has started and you can now secure your place at the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum. WUF13 will bring together thousands of participants from governments, local and regional leaders, the UN system, academia, civil society, the private sector, and grassroots organizations. Together, we’ll explore how cities are planned, built and managed for a more sustainable future.
Register now and be part of the global conversation on housing and urban development.
Why housing?
Housing is at the heart of sustainable cities. Yet today:
3 billion people live in inadequate housing,
1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums,
300 million people experience homelessness.
On the road to Baku
The #RoadtoBaku is already underway! The Azerbaijan Urban Campaign 2026 – a nation-wide initiative mobilizing stakeholders for WUF13 has now launched. WUF13 booths were at the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanization Forum in Kuala Lumpur and the Baku Climate Action Week in Azerbaijan.
Connecting the dots
Urban October 2025 brings people and cities together to explore how to respond to urban challenges and innovate to build better cities.
Submit successful housing practices to be recognized at the new WUF Practices Hub. Apply by 31 October 2025.
Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development 2025 recognizes sustainable urban solutions. Apply by 17 October 2025.
Cities and climate action – UN-Habitat at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.