The World Urban Forum

The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the world’s premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. It is a non-legislative technical forum convened by UN-Habitat since 2002 based on affirmation by the UN General Assembly through resolution A/RES/56/206.

WUF is now the premier international gathering for exchanging knowledge, views and experiences on adequate housing and sustainable urbanization. The inclusive nature of 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, among others, in the field of sustainable urban development and human settlements.

WUF has been held in a different host city and country biennially. Participation in WUF has significantly increased in the last years with attendees from all over the world, representing relevant stakeholders and sectors.

Participation

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.

The fourteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF14) in 2028

By 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to reach almost 70%, making urbanization one of the twenty-first century’s most transformative trends. 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. 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.

Objective of the Forum

The World Urban Forum has the following objectives:

• Raise awareness of adequate housing and sustainable urbanization among stakeholders and constituencies, includingthe general public;
• Improve the collective knowledge of adequate housing and sustainable urban development through inclusive open debates, sharing of lessons learned and the exchange of practices and policy solutions;
• Increase coordination and cooperation between different stakeholders and constituencies for the advancement and implementation of adequate housing and sustainable urbanization global priorities; 
• Serve as a platform to inform the reporting of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda;
• Build global coalitions to scale knowledge, resources and impact for sustainable urbanization.

Strategic Orientation

In affirming WUF in 2001, the UN General Assembly defined WUF as a non-legislative technical forum in which experts can exchange views in the years when the governing body of the UN-Habitat does not meet. WUF is thus UN-Habitat’s main platform for stakeholder mobilization and engagement in the context of its work and mandate. In this respect WUF14 is expected to enable the strategic plan of UN-Habitat 2026-2029 which has a strategic focus on housing, land and basic services.

Further, strategic continuity between sessions of the Forum would be key to leverage outcomes across sessions and continue to scale global partnerships and action for sustainable cities and communities aligned with the New Urban Agenda and the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development. Leveraging coherence with other major UN and global conferences and events will also be desirable.

Bid process and time frame

The closing date for receiving the Expression of Interest for WUF14 is 15 April 2025. The table below outlines the time frame of important dates for the complete bidding process.

Financial contribution

To host the World Urban Forum a financial contribution is required. The host country for WUF14 is expected to make a minimal contribution of fifteen million US dollars (USD 15,000,000) total cash contribution to UN-Habitat in the period 2026-2028. Information on the purpose of the cash contribution to UN Habitat will be provided as part of the bidding proposal.

Additionally,the host country is required to provide an in-kind contribution of adequate venue with its conference facilities,  meeting rooms, technology infrastructure, exhibition area including services and requirements for registration and accreditation; security services and equipment according to United Nations security regulations within the city, around and within the venue; interpretation services for the main sessions; operational and logistical needs with respective human resources in the country, city and at the venue.

Expression of interest

A city / country wishing to express its interest to host the fourteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF14) is required to send an official communication (on letterhead and with signature) to the office of the Director of UN-Habitat’s External Relations Strategy Knowledge and Innovation Division, addressed to the UN-Habitat Executive Director, Anacláudia Rossbach, within the above mentioned deadline to the following e-mail address: unhabitat-wuf14bid@un.org 

Please note: Any submission which does not meet the criteria, is incomplete, or received after the deadline will not be considered.