WUF13 festival continues in Mingachevir with information session

On May 6, an information session dedicated to the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) was held at Mingachevir State University, bringing together teachers and students as part of efforts to raise public awareness of the event, Report informs.

Among those addressing the event were Etibar Abdullayev, Deputy Head of the Department for Socio-Economic, Architecture and Construction Issues and Urban Economy at the Mingachevir City Executive Authority, as well as Head of the Architecture and Construction Sector; Ramiz Idrisoghlu, representative of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Emin Huseynzade, Communications Manager at the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company, who outlined key aspects of WUF13.

Etibar Abdullayev outlined the historical evolution of Mingachevir, charting its development over time and highlighting the city's master plan.

Speaking about Azerbaijan's development, Ramiz Idrisoghlu noted that a systematic approach underpins the planned growth of cities. He emphasised that this approach places strong emphasis on the human dimension, social well-being and territorial balance. He added that the foundations of Azerbaijan's contemporary urban planning policy lie in the existing legislative framework, as well as in the urban planning instruments currently being developed by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture to ensure the balanced development of cities and rural areas. To date, master plans for 67 of the country's 79 cities have been approved, with work on the remaining cities continuing in a phased manner.

Emin Huseynzade encouraged young people to take part in WUF13. In his remarks, he provided a detailed overview of the WUF13 Festival, while also highlighting the event's significance for Azerbaijan and drawing attention to the key activities expected to be of particular interest to young people.

The WUF13 Festival will continue into the evening, culminating in an open-air public programme scheduled to commence at 18:00.

Through a programme of interactive activities, educational games, presentations and public discussions, a wide audience 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 core themes and guiding ideas of WUF13 will also be shared with participants throughout the programme.