Azerbaijan: 13th World Urban Forum kicks off in Baku.

SHOTLIST: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (MAY 17, 2026) 1. VARIOUS OF OPENING CEREMONY AT BAKU OLYMPIC STADIUM 2. VARIOUS OF FLAGS BEING RAISED 3. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS AT FORUMBAKU, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 17, 2026: The 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), organized by the UN-Habitat, opened in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, on Sunday, May 17. Held at structures set up at the Baku Olympic Stadium, the forum is jointly organized by the Azerbaijani government and UN-Habitat. The event began with UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach and Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Anar Guliyev raising the flags of Azerbaijan and the United Nations. The forum convenes governments, UN agencies, urban planners, development banks, and international organizations to discuss sustainable urbanization, climate resilience, and smart-city development. More than 40,000 participants from 182 countries are expected to attend what is set to be one of the largest UN-linked gatherings hosted in the South Caucasus in 2026.