The official opening ceremony on 18 May 2026 was attended by a number of heads of state and government, including the presidents of Kenya, Serbia and Kyrgyzstan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, T. Taraba, along with other high-level representatives. The strong political presence confirmed the growing importance of sustainable urban development, affordable housing and climate resilience. 

A key part of the programme consisted of ministerial meetings and thematic panels. The Czech Republic was represented by Minister for Regional Development Zuzana Mrázová, who spoke in a ministerial panel. In her address, she highlighted the importance of international cooperation, the need for affordable housing, and presented the Czech Republic’s ongoing reforms in housing policy, digitalisation and sustainable development. She also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to implementing the UN New Urban Agenda. 

The WUF13 programme further included high-level dialogues, specialised thematic sessions, roundtables and networking events. Discussions focused in particular on financing urban development, climate resilience, the transformation of informal settlements, smart solutions and infrastructure development. 

An important part of the forum was the Urban Expo exhibition, showcasing concrete projects and innovations in urban development. Covering approximately 35,000 m², it featured 260 organisations from 85 countries across more than 120 stands and pavilions. The exhibition provided a platform for cooperation between the public and private sectors and for presenting practical solutions to sustainable urban challenges. 

WUF13 also fits into Azerbaijan’s broader strategy of strengthening its international profile through hosting major global events. The forum served as a platform to showcase the country’s ambitions in modern urbanism, smart cities and reconstruction projects. 

From the perspective of Czech companies, WUF13 represents concrete business opportunities. The growing emphasis on affordable housing, energy efficiency, digitalisation and urban infrastructure opens space for Czech solutions in construction, smart technologies, mobility and environmental innovations. Participation in such international forums also facilitates networking with partners from international institutions, public administration and the private sector. 

The forum in Baku thus confirmed that sustainable urban development remains one of the key global priorities, while demonstrating that Czech know-how has strong potential to contribute in this field.