CAIRO – 21 September 2024: The organizing committee of the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), scheduled to take place in Egypt in November, announced that the National Alliance for Civil Development Work will oversee the coordination and selection of volunteers for the event.
The National Training Academy, a member of the alliance, will be responsible for training and preparing the volunteers for their roles during the forum.
Meanwhile, the youth organizing the Egyptian World Youth Forum (WYF) will lead the planning and coordination of the forum’s activities, continuing their role in managing major international events hosted by Egypt in recent years.
Egypt is set to welcome delegations from numerous countries, high-ranking officials, and distinguished personalities to the WUF12, which is organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) in collaboration with Egypt's Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities and the Ministry of Local Development.
The event is recognized as one of the most significant global events on the United Nations agenda, being the world’s foremost platform for addressing urbanization and inclusive, sustainable urban development.
Showcasing urban excellence
Hosting this prestigious international forum in Egypt—the first African nation to do so in over 20 years—highlights the country's leading and strategic role both regionally and globally as a hub for development and urbanization.
It also underscores Egypt’s exceptional progress in advancing urban development and its early adoption of the New Urban Agenda, as reflected in major national projects such as fourth generation cities and initiatives aimed at improving citizens' quality of life, like the Haya Karima (Decent Life) initiative and slum eradication programs.
Additionally, Egypt's remarkable advancements in infrastructure—covering water, sanitation, electricity, and other critical services—have significantly improved living standards and bolstered the country’s ranking in various international indicators.
The WU12 will convene thousands of participants over five days, including representatives from regional and international governments, businesses, community leaders, urban planners, and civil society organizations.
The event will feature over 500 activities, including an extensive urban exhibition and Cairo Urban Week, which links the forum to the local community.
All major sessions of the forum will be broadcast live in all six official UN languages, as well as in Arabic and International Sign Language.
A special session by the Egyptian government will showcase the nation’s global leadership in comprehensive development, emphasizing environmental, infrastructural, and social frameworks that prioritize quality of life for all citizens.
This session will also highlight Egypt’s achievements in promoting green transformation, driving sustainable recovery, and implementing its National Climate Change Strategy.
The WUF12 will focus on building strong alliances to implement the New Urban Agenda, achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address major global challenges such as the global housing crisis, climate change, and the complexities of sustainable urban development.
The forum will explore key strategies for partnerships that connect global goals with local realities, while emphasizing the power of collaboration to drive local progress across diverse stakeholders.
The forum will ensure gender parity, geographic representation, intergenerational involvement, and diversity of stakeholders and approaches in all major sessions.
Beyond discussions, the forum aims to foster the adoption of innovative solutions and best practices, calling on participants to lead local transformation and change.
To date, over 6,500 participants from 160 countries have registered to attend.
WUF’s history
The World Urban Forum was established in 2001 by the United Nations as the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization.
The forum was created to examine the impact of rapid urbanization on cities, communities, economies, and climate change.
Since its inception, cities across the globe have hosted the World Urban Forum, with the inaugural session held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002.
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