During the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), held in Baku, Global Art magazine spoke with Firuza Sultan-zade, an Azerbaijani expert in ecology, education, and sustainable development, director of the Ecosphere social and environmental center, associate professor at Baku State University, independent environmental expert, and sustainability advisor at Sea Breeze.
The conversation addressed topics defining the global agenda of the 21st century: environmental safety, sustainable development, the role of children and youth in shaping the urban environment, and the need for a creative approach to creating cities of the future.
— Ms Sultan-zade, please share your impressions of the World Urbanism Forum in Baku. How is WUF13 going, and what are your expectations for the event?
— First of all, we are extremely proud that after COP29, Azerbaijan is once again becoming the venue for such a large-scale international event. This evokes special emotions and a sense of involvement in crucial global processes.
Today, we once again see Azerbaijan at the center of the global dialogue, and this is truly extremely important both for our country and for the international community as a whole. The topic of urbanism, sustainable urban development, built environment, and environmental safety is particularly close to our hearts, as our organization deals with sustainability issues and defining the parameters of sustainable development. Everything discussed at the forum is very much in line with our professional work, both expert and practical. Furthermore, the Children and Youth Pavilion is of particular importance to us, as working with children and young people is one of Ecosphere's key activities.
For several days, we've been participating in events dedicated to children and young people, highlighting the fact that sustainable, eco-friendly, and comfortable cities cannot exist without taking into account the interests of the younger generation. Urban environments must be adapted to children, young people, communities, and people as a whole. This is why international standards and the discussions taking place here are so important to us. It's especially valuable that WUF13 has organized separate panels and sessions with children and young people, allowing their voices to be heard.
Another important event will be our participation in the UN program called WUF Academy. For the first time, Ecosphere will present national environmental certification standards. We are preparing for this presentation with great care, as this is a fundamentally important initiative for the future of the country. We will discuss mechanisms for implementing these standards in the operations of organizations, hotels, buildings, resorts, and national parks. This is an extremely promising area, and I am confident that every forum participant will be able to find a topic that resonates with them and is important to them.
— How important, in your opinion, is a creative and innovative approach to addressing issues of sustainable development and the urban environment?
— For us, a creative approach is an absolutely integral part of sustainable development. Moreover, it is creative thinking that enables us to find modern and humane solutions.
When we communicate with foreign colleagues and international experts, we see how highly they value the development of Azerbaijan, the organization of the forum, and the urban environment of Baku itself. During one of the youth and children's sessions, the Youth and Children Assembly, participants noted that Baku feels like a city that loves children. This is evident in the city's atmosphere, public spaces, and attitudes toward families and young people. This is especially valuable to us.
Furthermore, our team has pioneered the development of interactive teaching methods for children in the fields of tourism and environmental education. We've always strived to make education vibrant, engaging, and inspiring.
Firuza Sultan-zade and Jamala Nakhchivani, the Editor-in-Chief of Global Art magazine
— Please tell us about the joint initiative with Sea Breeze presented at the forum.
— This is truly a very important project for us. Just recently, at the forum, Sea Breeze supported our initiative, which children and young people had been working on for almost six months. First, it was a winter lab, then a spring lab—a unique platform for green startups, where children and teenagers developed their own sustainable urban development concepts in five different areas.
As a result, twelve winners were selected, and three projects received not only financial support for further development but also, most importantly, the opportunity to be implemented at Sea Breeze. This is an example of how children's ideas can become part of a real urban environment.
Among the winning initiatives was an inclusive playground for children with disabilities, a space where children can be together without barriers and limitations. An educational environmental program in the form of an interactive game route was also presented. A particularly touching project was a six-year-old girl who designed an original playground in the shape of an unusual "spider," and this idea is currently being considered for implementation. I believe it is in initiatives like these that the true city of the future is born.
Interview was conducted by Jamala Nakhchivani, the Editor-in-Chief of Global Art magazine
