High-Level Forum at World Urban Forum Highlights Air Quality and Green Infrastructure for Resilient Cities
Baku, The Gulf Observer: A high-level forum focusing on urban air quality and sustainable city development was held in Baku within the framework of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum under the theme “Breathing Life into the New Urban Agenda: Integrating Air Quality and Green Infrastructure for Resilient Cities.”
The event was organized at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Founder and Head of the IDEA Public Union, in partnership with the Clean Air Fund.
An address by Leyla Aliyeva was delivered at the opening session, in which she emphasized the critical importance of air quality for the health and well-being of urban residents and for ensuring a safe environment for future generations. She stressed that clean air should become a central priority in modern urban planning.
The address also highlighted the activities of the IDEA Public Union, including the “Our Yard” project aimed at rehabilitating residential courtyards, as well as ongoing initiatives related to tree planting, public awareness campaigns, and the promotion of sustainable transport solutions.
Participants were urged to strengthen international cooperation to reduce air pollution and create greener, more resilient, and people-centered cities.
During the formal session, speakers including Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Anna Soave, Gulshan Rzayeva, Umayra Taghiyeva, and Cecilia Vaca Jones highlighted the importance of reducing urban air pollution to protect public health, enhance climate resilience, and improve living standards.
The event continued with panel discussions featuring experts and environmental specialists, including Elnur Safarov and Mahir Aliyev, who discussed international practices and practical measures to improve urban air quality and address environmental challenges affecting human health.
At the conclusion of the forum, participants adopted a communiqué titled the “Baku Call for Action for Breathing Cities,” calling for the recognition of clean air as a core principle of modern urban planning and advocating for its permanent inclusion on the agenda of future World Urban Forums. The document also encouraged stronger cooperation in the fields of urban planning, transport, housing policy, green infrastructure, and public health.
An exhibition was also organized on the sidelines of the forum, featuring visual materials from the Clean Air Fund, United Nations Environment Programme, and partner organizations, along with works created by participants of the “Children’s Eyes on Earth” international photography project.
