For the first time in the history of the World Urban Forum, the inclusion of the NGO Forum as part of the official program is an indication of the growing role of civil society in global development processes, the Chairperson of the Board of the NGO Agency Aygun Aliyeva said during her speech at the “WUF13 NGO Forum,” held for the first time in WUF history at Azerbaijan’s initiative, APA reports.
“This is not only a symbolic event, but also confirmation of an important reality that has already been accepted internationally. Sustainable development and urban planning cannot succeed without the participation and partnership of civil society,” she emphasized.
Aygun Aliyeva noted that in recent years Azerbaijan has become an important center for international initiatives and solidarity platforms in the field of civil society. It was stated that in 2025 the founding conference of the Global South platform was held, the Asia-Pacific platform of member states of the Organization of Turkic States was established, and in the coming days the General Assembly of the Global South Asia Platform took place within the framework of Baku Urban Week.
According to her, these processes show that Azerbaijan is turning into a strategic platform for international civil society dialogue: “Azerbaijan is not only hosting international events, but is also becoming an important international platform that brings together civil society representatives from various regions for dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity.”
It was noted that against the backdrop of climate change, social inequality, migration, and humanitarian crises, the future of cities cannot be built solely on concrete and infrastructure:
“The vision of cities should not be built only on concrete and infrastructure. This vision should be shaped on the basis of public trust, civic participation, and solidarity.”
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