Topical Information

From 17 to 22 May 2026, the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) took place in Baku. The event became the largest international platform dedicated to urbanization and the role of cities in addressing global crises. The theme of this year’s edition was “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities,” and a record number of participants attended – more than 39,000 representatives from 182 countries.

With the support of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB), a Bulgarian delegation of local authorities was formed, including: Merdin Bayryam, Mayor of Varbitsa Municipality and member of the NAMRB Management Board; Sebihan Mehmed, Mayor of Krumovgrad Municipality; Dimitar Zdravkov, Mayor of Sadovo Municipality; Iva Valcheva, Mayor of Hisarya Municipality; Aydzhan Ahmed, Mayor of Chernoochene Municipality; Violeta Hristodulova, Chairperson of the Municipal Council of Maritsa; Nina Sevova, Secretary of Hisarya Municipality; Daniela Vlaseva, Chief Architect of Kaloyanovo Municipality; Nadezhda Dimitrova, Head of Department at Kaloyanovo Municipality; Desislava Koleva, Director of Directorate at Gabrovo Municipality; and Racho Iliev, Director of a Municipal Enterprise in Gabrovo Municipality.

World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments

As part of this global gathering, leaders from around the world discussed three major themes – housing as a tool for social inclusion and poverty reduction, housing policy as a driver of economic development, and the role of the housing sector in climate adaptation and urban resilience.

A particularly strong presence in the program was given to local authorities. The World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, under the motto “Local Leadership Shapes the New Multilateralism,” raised the question of the new role of cities in global governance. Mayors and municipal representatives from around the world discussed how multilevel governance and stronger participation in international processes can accelerate the implementation of the global Sustainable Development Goals.

Special emphasis was placed on the need for global policies to be built “from the bottom up” – through the real experience of cities and municipalities that face daily challenges related to housing affordability, infrastructure pressure, social inequality, and demographic change.

The Mayor of Krumovgrad Municipality, Sebihan Mehmed, shared with international media that the participation of the Bulgarian delegates was aimed at a pragmatic effort to learn from global urban standards and transfer them to the local level in Bulgaria:

“We are here to compare cities from around the world in one place and to take examples for ourselves.”

The Voice of Cities as a Driver of Change

Among the strongest political highlights of WUF13 were the panels designed as spaces where cities themselves presented their real solutions, challenges, and innovations. Instead of abstract policies, the focus was on practical urban experience – how local authorities cope with climate risks, the housing crisis, social inequality, and urban transformation.

Topics included debates on climate-resilient planning, social housing, sustainable neighborhoods, digital governance, post-crisis recovery, and the role of local communities. Particular attention was directed toward settlements in the Global South, where urbanization is most dynamic and challenges are most acute.

Within this large-scale panel, practical solutions were also sought for one of the biggest challenges facing housing policy – financing. A special discussion titled “Climate Finance Goes Local: Financing the Transition to Sustainable Cities” explored how public and private investments can be mobilized for affordable and sustainable housing construction.

Desislava Koleva, Director of the “Sustainable Development” Directorate at Gabrovo Municipality, took an active part in the discussion, presenting to the international audience the urgent need for technical assistance and expertise for municipalities, which often lack the capacity to develop adaptation projects. According to her, while developing countries rely on mechanisms such as the “Gap Fund,” other local authorities critically depend on cooperation with institutions such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Koleva also stressed the urgent need for financing equipment for real-time environmental data collection.

The forum also placed strong emphasis on digitalization, artificial intelligence, and the use of data in urban governance. Part of the program focused on so-called “digital twins” of cities, spatial analysis systems, smart infrastructure management, and the use of technologies to address housing shortages.

Attention was also given to public health. The special session “Pulse of Healthy Homes” focused on the connection between the quality of the living environment and human health – from air quality and energy poverty to mental health and access to services.

The WUF13 program clearly demonstrated a new trend in global urban policy – a shift from discussions about individual infrastructure projects toward discussions about integrated urban systems. Topics such as the circular economy, waste management, water resilience, sustainable mobility, public space management, and the social economy are now viewed as interconnected elements of urban resilience.

Urban Expo

Participants also had the opportunity to take part in the Urban Expo – the forum’s international exhibition, where countries, cities, universities, companies, and organizations presented their policies, technologies, and solutions in the field of sustainable urban development.

Meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Republic of Azerbaijan

On 21 May, the Bulgarian delegation also held an official meeting with H.E. Ruslan Stoyanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the participants discussed prospects for deepening partnerships between Bulgarian and Azerbaijani cities, as well as opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, and education. Special emphasis was placed on the role of local authorities as an active driver of international cooperation, the promotion of investment exchange, and the development of sustainable contacts among institutions, universities, and business organizations from both countries.

More from the World Urban Forum

The forum demonstrated how the UN Sustainable Development Goals are being transformed into real local policies through housing strategies, sustainable transport, social services, and digitalization. Particular attention was given to the role of local authorities in measuring progress and integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into strategic planning and municipal budgets.

The sessions also showcased the coordinated approach of the UN system, bringing together topics such as climate, health, security, water, digitalization, and human rights, with the active participation of international agencies and local authorities.

Special attention was devoted to education and expert capacity building through the WUF Academy, as well as to the exchange of best practices, research, and innovative urban development models within the Urban Library and Practices Hub. The forum also presented the human dimension of urbanization through documentary stories addressing social and climate challenges.

Other leading themes included investments, technologies, and public-private partnerships as tools for developing sustainable and smart cities. Delegates emphasized that sustainable development is not only a public necessity, but also a significant economic opportunity.

For Bulgarian municipalities, participation in the forum became an opportunity not only for exchanging experience, but also for actively joining the global conversation about the future of cities. The issues discussed in Baku are already part of the daily agenda of local authorities worldwide.

In this sense, WUF13 was not merely an international conference, but a space where the world sought a new social contract for cities, in which local authorities are increasingly emerging as a key factor for sustainable development and quality of life in the decades ahead.