Deadline: 15-Nov-22

Applicants are now invited to submit their Expression of Interest (EOIs) for the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in 2026.

The WUF aims to gather participants to discuss and readdress the way cities and human settlements are planned, designed, financed, developed, governed and managed in a city that is globally recognized for its innovation and urban solutions in sustainable development. The WUF also explores ways and provides insights and lessons that will promote and contribute to inclusive development in all parts of the world through effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the world’s premier conference on urban issues. It is a non-legislative technical forum convened by UN-Habitat since 2002.

The WUF has become one of the most open international gatherings for exchanging views and experiences on urban challenges. The inclusive nature of the WUF, combined with high-level participation, makes it a unique United Nations conference and the foremost global arena for interaction among policymakers, local government leaders, non-government organizations and expert practitioners in the field of sustainable urban development and human settlements.

Objectives

• The World Urban Forum has the following objectives:
  • raise awareness of sustainable urbanization among stakeholders and constituencies, including the general public;
  • improve the collective knowledge of sustainable urban development through inclusive open debates, sharing of lessons learned and the exchange of best practices and good policies;
  • increase coordination and cooperation between different stakeholders and constituencies for the advancement and implementation of sustainable urbanization; and
  • platform to incorporate the inputs of multilateral organizations and stakeholders into the reporting of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
• In addition to the above objectives, the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum will also contribute to the global mobilization advocating for a common vision on sustainable urban development and accelerate implementation of SDGs in the decade of action for achievement of Agenda 2030.

Funding Information

• To host the World Urban Forum a financial contribution is required. The host country for WUF13 is expected to make a minimal contribution of thirteen million US dollars (USD 13,000,000) total cash contribution to UN-Habitat in the period 2023 – 2024.
• Information on the purpose of the cash contribution to UN-Habitat will be provided as part of the bidding proposal.

Eligibility Criteria

Participants at the Forum include, but are not limited to, national, regional and local governments, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, professionals, research institutions and academies, professionals, private sector, development finance institutions, foundations, media, United Nations organizations and other international agencies.

For more information, visit https://unhabitat.org/calls/hosting-of-the-thirteenth-session-of-the-world-urban-forum-wuf13-in-2026