Between 17-22 of May, SALAR International will attend the thirteen session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan – the world’s premier global event on sustainable urbanisation. Under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities” a global spotlight will shine on the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and position housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development.

SALAR International will host two events focusing on locally-led recovery, and local engagement in new aid frameworks targeting large scale infrastructure investment. The first event, A place called home – Recovery that lasts, is a session that highlights experiences and key lessons learned from recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Ukrainian cities of Kherson and Samar. It will also continue the discussion on urban recovery initiated during previous World Urban Forums, providing a platform to share insights on how local and regional authorities can play a central role in recovery and reconstruction efforts following manmade and natural disasters.

The second event, Towards a 360° Global Gateway: Building Housing, Infrastructure and Local Economies Through Integrated Local Action, is a partner-led networking session. It will focus on how the EU’s Global Gateway strategy can be implemented in practice through a comprehensive 360-degree approach, linking infrastructure investments with housing, local economic development, climate resilience, and democratic local governance. The SymbioCity approach will be presented as a practical way of operationalising a 360-degree perspective, where its relevance for Global Gateway investments will be discussed, particularly in decentralisation and multilevel governance contexts.

WUF13 is an ideal platform for global dialogue, collaboration and action on urban resilience and sustainability. SALAR International looks forward to engaging in these important discussions and to seeing you in Baku!