00:00The main task is here to ensure the alignment of all activities
00:04with the UN standards for such large-scale events.
00:12Azerbaijan is now in the final stages of preparations
00:15for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum.
00:19Government agencies, along with local and international partners,
00:23are working together to make sure the organizational processes go smoothly.
00:28The venue will host 40 main sessions, 350 partner-led events, the Urban Expo,
00:35and it will include the 13th Boulevard area, as well as functional zones
00:40for UN entities, government institutions, media and participants.
00:44With more than 28,000 registered participants
00:47and around 1,000 media accreditation applications,
00:51the information must be clear, timely and practical.
00:56The 13th session of the World Urban Forum will bring international attention
01:02to the capital, Baku.
01:03The event will take place at the Olympic Stadium.
01:06It was opened in 2015 and has since become one of the city's main venues
01:11for large-scale events and gatherings.
01:14This venue is not a traditional conference center and we needed a customized approach
01:20to install, to develop solutions for media, for public participation,
01:26conference halls and also the protocol zones.
01:28As this is the first World Urban Forum taking place in Eastern Europe,
01:33South Caucasus and Central Asia region,
01:35our priority and challenge was to engage regional participation.
01:41Improved infrastructure and transportation planning will enable guests
01:46to travel easily between locations.
01:50They will have a chance to use their own local bank cards via MPC or Apple Pay or Google Pay.
01:58And for today, we have 112 kilometers of bus lanes in the city center.
02:04And we are expanding it for World 13.
02:07First time in 2004, we added the first 200 electric buses to our bus fleet.
02:14And for today, for 2026, we already have 450 electric buses.
02:20With the large-scale events comes the need for higher safety measures,
02:24which is of utmost importance for the city's security services.
02:30Safety of our international guests during World 13 is top priority, of course,
02:37as the police of Azerbaijan.
02:38And we ensure that all accommodation sites are safe, venues are safe.
02:45And at the same time, we provide our guests and participants with safe logistics.
02:51We also deploy police officers fluent in foreign languages.
02:56One of the core principles of modern policing is maintaining right balance between safety and openness.
03:03During WUF 13, we are trying to maintain this balance as well.
03:06While our officers on duty provide our guests and participants with the traditional security,
03:13our digital monitoring services are in work as well.
03:20Hosting an international forum also creates new opportunities for the tourism and hospitality sectors.
03:27We prepared more than 20 tailored special tours for the participants, and we delivered that.
03:34And participants can apply for these tours.
03:37These tours cover Baku and also the other destinations of Azerbaijan.
03:40And to support that, we certified more than 150 tourist guides, which will guide our participants.
03:48All participants are also a potential tourist, which will come to Azerbaijan as a leisure tourist.
03:54So we are also keen to show our destination in a maximum capacity.
03:59Behind the scenes, an extra effort has been made to ensure visitors experience the country's rich heritage
04:06and its evolving urban landscape.
04:08For us, international attention is an opportunity to reinforce the living heritage status of Baku's cultural heart.
04:19Our management approach integrates preservation with active urban years.
04:24For instance, our restoration works aren't just about maintaining the walls.
04:29By transforming a restored area into a space for art and community life,
04:34we ensure that Echen Åžahar, Old City, remains a vibrant neighborhood rather than an aesthetic museum.
04:42As preparations continue, the World Urban Forum is expected to serve as an important platform
04:49for global dialogue on the future of cities and urban communities.
04:53For us, our plan is this for our project that will continue to be a part of what we are.
04:54We'll be able to share our part of this project.
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