An event titled “Rethinking Cultural Heritage and Inclusive Urban Regeneration” was held on Wednesday (20 May) during WUF13 in Baku, bringing together international officials, urban planners and cultural experts to discuss how heritage preservation can support more inclusive and resilient cities.
The session focused on the role of heritage-led urban regeneration in addressing housing challenges, protecting local identity and improving living conditions without displacing communities.
Participants also examined how historic neighbourhoods can contribute to climate resilience, economic revitalisation and sustainable urban development.
Speaking at the forum, founder of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, former vice president of the World Bank and cultural expert Ismail Serageldin said policymakers must consider “what, how, and for whom” historical areas are being preserved.
According to him, conservation efforts should not focus solely on individual buildings, but must protect the broader character of cities while taking into account social, economic, environmental and physical dimensions.
He stressed the importance of community participation, investment mobilisation and minimising displacement during regeneration projects.
Morocco’s State Secretary for Housing, Adib Benbrahim, said urban redevelopment must preserve identity and historical value, warning that demolition and reconstruction require careful long-term planning.
“Of course, we sometimes see that historic neighborhoods also face unemployment-related problems. But in any case, we must not forget that cultural heritage is largely about cultural identity and cultural history,” Benbrahim said.
Meanwhile, Mexico City’s Minister of Housing, Inti Muñoz, said regeneration projects should maintain social, cultural and economic balance in order to avoid negative social consequences while strengthening urban resilience.
He noted that, in the process of urban renewal and development, this historical multilayered character is being carefully preserved.
“For visitors coming to Mexico City, this heritage is of great importance and forms a key part of the city’s cultural identity. In recent years, tourist inflows and urban life in Mexico City have increased significantly,” he added.
Speakers repeatedly underlined that regeneration should go beyond physical reconstruction and address wider social issues.
Elisabet Cirici said inclusive regeneration must be rooted in principles of social justice, with housing, employment, access to public services and the protection of vulnerable groups remaining central to planning efforts.
Anaclaudia Rossbach said cultural heritage plays a vital role in shaping the identity of future cities and cannot be separated from sustainable development.
“Cultural development remains impossible without this component; concurrently, sustainable development cannot fully materialize without the preservation of cultural heritage,” she said.
Representing Azerbaijan, Sabina Hajiyeva highlighted the experience of Icherisheher, also known as the Old City of Baku.
She said regeneration should focus on preserving the overall urban fabric rather than isolated structures, noting that Icherisheher remains a living community rather than solely a tourist destination.
According to the session organisers, the forum aimed to demonstrate how heritage-led regeneration can improve housing affordability, strengthen resilience and support climate-responsive urban transformation.
The discussion also explored financing models, partnerships and policy approaches that connect heritage conservation with tourism, housing and local economic development.
Moderated by Nazanine Moshiri, the session formed part of broader discussions at WUF13 on sustainable urban development and inclusive city planning.
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and a...
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday it had authorised 32 vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran and Wash...
Doctors working on the front lines of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo say attacks on treatment centres and fleeing patients are...
Russia has warned foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, saying it has launched a new wave of strikes targeting Ukraine’s defence industry and military co...
The UK is experiencing potentially record-breaking temperatures after forecasters confirmed some areas reached highs close to 34°C on Monday....
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and an Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman saying that a deal isn't imminent.
Doctors working on the front lines of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo say attacks on treatment centres and fleeing patients are hampering efforts to contain the virus.
Russia has warned foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, saying it has launched a new wave of strikes targeting Ukraine’s defence industry and military command infrastructure.
The UK is experiencing potentially record-breaking temperatures after forecasters confirmed some areas reached highs close to 34°C on Monday.
The inaugural Enhanced Games began in Las Vegas on Sunday (24 May), launching one of the most controversial experiments in modern sport, in which athletes openly compete using performance-enhancing drugs banned under traditional anti-doping rules.
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and an Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman saying that a deal isn't imminent.
A "largely negotiated" memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, though the Iranian Fars news agency disputed that claim.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
Police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters in central Belgrade on Saturday, as tens of thousands gathered to demand early elections and an end to the more than decade-long rule of Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić.
For the first time in decades, Armenia has rail access to the EU. The Akhalkalaki–Kars corridor, running through Georgia into Türkiye, is now officially open for Armenian cargo - a quiet but consequential shift in the region’s economic geography.
The Kremlin warned on Monday that Armenia could lose the “very attractive” price it pays for Russian gas if it moved away from integration with Russia and deepened ties with the European Union.
Uzbekistan has unveiled its final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the country’s first appearance at football’s biggest tournament. The national team, led by Italian head coach Fabio Cannavaro, will compete at the tournament hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Nearly half of Afghanistan’s population - more than 21 million people - needed humanitarian assistance in the first three months of 2026, according to the United Nations, yet aid agencies reached only 4.7 million people.
As dawn broke on Monday, pilgrims began arriving at the sacred site of Mina west of Mecca, marking the start of Hajj - one of the most significant spiritual journeys in Islam.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment