The second day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum 13 has begun in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, with thousands of international delegates gathering to discuss the future of global cities and urban development.

One of the biggest highlights of the day will be the first-ever Leaders Summit in the history of the World Urban Forum, marking a major milestone for the global event, The Caspian Post reports via Report.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, is taking part in the event.

An official opening press conference is also scheduled, where participants are expected to address some of the world’s most urgent urban challenges - including the global housing crisis, the development of safe and sustainable cities, urbanization policies and improving city resilience.

The day’s agenda also includes the Joint Closing Ceremony of the Assemblies, a meeting of ministers from the African region, and the MINURVI session - the Forum of Ministers and High-Level Authorities on Housing and Urban Development of Latin America and the Caribbean.

More than 40,000 participants from 182 countries have registered to attend the forum, which will continue through May 22, turning Baku into a major global hub for urban dialogue and international cooperation.