UN-Habitat announces dates for the global conference on sustainable urbanisation, housing and the future of cities
Mexico City will host the fourteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF14) from 31 July to 4 August 2028, bringing together governments, city leaders, urban planners, researchers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping urban development worldwide.
The dates were announced at a press conference attended by Clara Brugada Molina, Head of Government of Mexico City, and Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Brugada Molina described the selection of Mexico City as the host of WUF14 as a historic moment, highlighting the forum’s role as a platform for representatives from cities across the world to exchange ideas, discuss policy proposals and shape the future of urban settlements. She also noted that the event would provide an opportunity to assess progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Rossbach welcomed the forum’s return to Latin America, emphasising the growing global focus on adequate housing and sustainable urban development. She said WUF14 would help strengthen partnerships, build coalitions and accelerate action towards more sustainable and inclusive cities.
The forum is expected to bring together governments, local authorities, development partners and other stakeholders to advance the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11, which calls for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Discussions will also build on the commitments of the Baku Call to Action.
Strengthening Global Urban Partnerships
Ahead of the announcement, Rossbach visited Mexico to strengthen strategic partnerships in preparation for WUF14. Her engagements included meetings with government representatives, young people, civil society organisations and members of the academic community.
Mexico City was selected to host the fourteenth session in March 2023 following a competitive bidding process and a comprehensive evaluation. The assessment included technical visits, security reviews and evaluations of the proposed venue and logistical arrangements.
The selection reflects the city’s role as a major metropolitan centre and provides an opportunity to bring global attention to the challenges of housing, urban governance, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and inclusive city planning.
World Urban Forum: A Global Platform for Sustainable Cities
Established in 2001 by the United Nations, the World Urban Forum addresses the impact of rapid urbanisation on people, cities, economies, climate and public policy. Convened by UN-Habitat every two years, it serves as an open and inclusive platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and contributions to international urban-development processes.
The first session, WUF1, was held in Nairobi, Kenya. Since then, the forum has taken place in cities around the world, with previous editions providing opportunities to examine urbanisation challenges in diverse geographical and policy contexts.
Latin America has previously hosted WUF5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and WUF7 in Medellín, Colombia. The region also hosted the Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, in 2016, where the New Urban Agenda was adopted.
The most recent session, WUF13, was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May 2026. According to UN-Habitat, it attracted more than 58,000 participants from 176 countries.
With WUF14 scheduled for 2028, Mexico City will provide a global platform to advance discussions on housing, urban planning, governance and sustainable development, while strengthening international cooperation towards more inclusive, resilient and liveable cities. UN-Habitat
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