Baku: WUF13 is a critically important platform for moving from global strategies to practical solutions in the field of urban development, Dr. Sebastiaan van Herk, founder of the Healthy Cities organization, an expert in innovation and projects related to the environment, water, infrastructure, and construction, co-founder of the Flood Resilience Research Group at UNESCO-IHE, and UN envoy for sustainable cities, said in an interview with AZERTAC.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the current stage of urban development urgently requires bridging the gap between what is already known at the policy and data level and what is actually implemented on the ground - moving from general concepts of sustainable development to concrete actions that directly impact people's lives.

He emphasized that for Healthy Cities, this forum is of particular importance, as it shifts the focus of discussion from abstract sustainability to issues of real human well-being.

In this context, he highlighted the importance of events held at WUF-13, such as the 'Pulse of Healthy Homes' session organized in collaboration with UN-Habitat and the WHO, where the future of cities is discussed through the lens of public health. He also noted that WUF-13 contributes to transforming global consensus into practical digital tools that can directly influence life expectancy, mental health, and the resilience of communities at the local level.