Rain disrupts opening of UN urban development forum in Baku

Heavy rain disrupted the opening ceremony of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF-13) in Baku on 17 May, forcing participants from more than 180 countries to take shelter. Architects, urban planners and UN representatives had gathered at the city’s Olympic Stadium for the event.

The opening ceremony of the World Urban Forum in Baku, planned as an outdoor event and featuring a flag-raising ceremony, took place amid record rainfall. Azerbaijan’s National Hydrometeorological Service had warned of heavy rain in advance, later reporting that 103mm of rain fell across Baku and the Absheron Peninsula within nine hours – more than five times the historical average.

For a forum held under the slogan “Housing for Peace: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities”, it would be hard to imagine a more symbolic start. As delegates discussed urban resilience and safety, torrential rain in the Azerbaijani capital raised an old question once again: how resilient is Baku itself?