The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026. The theme of WUF13 is: Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.
From global commitments to local impact: the Road to Baku mobilizes stakeholders to strengthen housing, land, and urban services through SDG Localization and multilevel governance. As partners worldwide convene for WUF13, the event responds to the urgency of the global housing crisis by framing adequate housing not as an isolated sector, but as a strategic entry point for advancing sustainable urban development and accelerating the 2030 Agenda. In this context, the session aims to highlight the crucial role of SDG Localization and Multilevel Governance as key means of implementation for universal adequate housing, effective land management, and equitable urban basic services. Titled "SDG Localization: Driving System Change Through Partnerships and Innovation," and co-organized by the UN Local2030 Coalition and UN-Habitat, the session will present an integrated approach that connects global frameworks with local implementation to SDG Localization. Under the umbrella of the UN Local2030 Coalition, the session will launch the Road to Baku Report, which has mobilized stakeholders across all levels and elevated locally led and territorially grounded solutions that reflect implementation pathways and territorial realities, ensuring that such experiences are reflected in the Baku Call to Action. Within this framework, the session will also feature the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs, jointly promoted by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security and UN-Habitat, as the platform to support countries in developing NLFs, strengthening policy coherence, governance, and financing for national-to-local SDG delivery. In addition, the SDG Cities initiative will be highlighted as a flexible city-level approach built around data, planning, and investment, helping local governments generate evidence, guide decision-making, and mobilize transformative action. The event will also underscore innovation in data and technology, including experiences from the Arab Region, reinforcing the region's contribution to SDG localization, Voluntary Local Reviews, urban observatories, and land-related indicators. Moderator: Sébastien Vauzelle, Head, UN Local2030 Coalition Secretariat Opening Remarks: Anacláudia Marinheiro Centeno Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, UN - Habitat Executive Director
