WUF13 in Baku to Address Global Housing Crisis with 30,000 Participants
Baku, Azerbaijan, is set to host the 13th World Urban Forum from May 17 to 22, 2026, marking its inaugural event in the Caucasus region. This year's theme, "Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities," aims to address the global housing crisis, with approximately 3 billion individuals facing housing challenges, including over 1.1 billion in informal settlements. Anticipating around 30,000 attendees, the forum will feature six key discussions focused on essential topics like climate change. Additionally, the International Union of Architects will unveil the third round of the UIA 2030 Award during this event, aligning with Azerbaijan's celebration of urban planning and architecture.
Key facts
- WUF13 takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan from May 17 to 22, 2026.
- Theme: 'Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.'
- Co-organized by UN-Habitat and the Government of Azerbaijan.
- First time hosted in the Caucasus region.
- Nearly 3 billion people face housing inadequacy globally.
- Over 1.1 billion live in informal settlements; over 300 million are homeless.
- Expected 30,000 participants; nearly 25,000 registered from 178 countries.
- Venue: Baku Olympic Stadium.
- Six WUF13 Dialogues address housing from social, environmental, and economic angles.
- New formats: Practices Hub and WUF Academy.
- UIA 2030 Award recipients to be announced during WUF13.
- President Ilham Aliyev declared 2026 'Year of Urban Planning and Architecture' in Azerbaijan.
Entities
Institutions
- UN-Habitat
- Government of Azerbaijan
- International Union of Architects (UIA)
- United Nations
- Baku Olympic Stadium
Locations
- Baku
- Azerbaijan
- Caucasus