Urban regeneration study from Iran shortlisted at UN-habitat forum in Baku
A research project by an Iranian academic from the University of Birjand was shortlisted as a best practice at a United Nations human settlements competition in Baku in 2025, according to the organizers of the 13th World Urban Forum, highlighting innovative approaches to sustainable urban regeneration and financing.
The study, led by Mohammad Eskandari Sani, a faculty member in the Department of Geography at the University of Birjand, alongside research collaborator Afsaneh Hasani, was selected in the international ‘Best Practices in Urban Regeneration 2025’ competition held on the sidelines of WUF13, convened under the UN-HABITAT framework in cooperation with Shanghai University.
The project, titled ‘Financial Models and Methods for Urban Regeneration Leveraging Startup Potential: A Case Study of Birjand City,’ was recognized as a shortlisted practice following evaluation by an international panel of experts, positioning it among applied models addressing sustainable urban development challenges.
In a dedicated session at the forum, Eskandari Sani presented a keynote address entitled ‘Empowering Marginalized Cities via the Financial Carbon Twin,’ a concept that drew attention from urban development specialists attending the global gathering, where cities are increasingly seeking hybrid financial tools to unlock regeneration pathways.
At a formal recognition ceremony, the certificate of achievement was presented by Pietro Elisei, chair of the IOPUR expert panel, underscoring the project’s inclusion among notable international submissions. The World Urban Forum, regarded as a leading global platform for urban sustainability discourse under the United Nations, convened experts, policymakers and researchers in Baku, where emerging financing models and technology-driven urban transformation frameworks featured prominently on the agenda.