World Habitat Day

"This World Habitat Day, we celebrate you – the young, the brave, and the changemakers of today and tomorrow. You are the heartbeat of our cities, the force driving us toward a better future.

Housing is the foundation of sustainable development – it impacts everything from poverty reduction and gender equality to climate action. And it empowers you, the youth, to build the future you deserve."

"As we celebrate World Habitat Day, let us support youth everywhere, include young people in decision-making, and build cities where people of all ages can thrive."

Message of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on World Habitat Day 2024; October 7th.

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch the Closing Ceremony - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)!

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch Roundtable 2: Moving Forward: Youth-Driven Solutions for Sustainable Urban Mobility - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)!

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch the Round table 1: Youth Power: Leading the Charge Against Climate Change - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)!ne

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch the Youth Dialogue: Creating a Better Urban Future - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch the Press Conference - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)!

On 7 October 2024, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day, will be under the theme "Engaging youth to create a better urban future." The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many urban residents these days are young people, especially in some countries in Africa and Asia. It will focus on how we can engage the new generation in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Watch the Opening Ceremony & Scroll of Honour Award Ceremony - World Habitat Day 2024 (Querétaro, Mexico)

The 85th session of the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management will be held fully in-person, in Geneva, Palais des Nations (Room XVII) starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 October, and closing at 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 October 2024.

Watch the 4th Meeting, 85th Session of Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management!

The 85th session of the Committee on Urban Development Housing and Land Management will be held fully in-person, in Geneva, Palais des Nations (Room XVII) starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 October, and closing at 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 October 2024.

Watch the 3rd Meeting, 85th Session of Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management!

The 85th session of the Committee on Urban Development Housing and Land Management will be held fully in-person, in Geneva, Palais des Nations (Room XVII) starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 October, and closing at 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 October 2024.

Watch the 2nd Meeting, 85th Session of Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management!

The 85th session of the Committee on Urban Development Housing and Land Management will be held fully in-person, in Geneva, Palais des Nations (Room XVII) starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 October, and closing at 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 October 2024.

Watch the 1st Meeting, 85th Session of Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management!

Facing one of the fastest urbanisation rates in the world, Honduras is leading this initiative to explore sustainable solutions for city development through neighbourhood upgrading. These challenges include urban poverty, inadequate housing, and vulnerability to climate change.

This side event at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum will focus on "Transforming Neighbourhoods" through the effective localization of national urban policies. We will delve into adaptive strategies for urban planning that address specific neighbourhood challenges, emphasising the importance of national policies in facilitating sustainable and resilient urban development. This session is intended as a follow-up to the 2023 HLPF side event, offering new opportunity for Honduras and other Central American countries and the Dominican Republic to advance discussions on sustainable urban development from holistic perspectives at national, regional and local levels.

Related Sites and Documents

Concept Note

Watch Transforming Neighbourhoods: National Policies and Local Actions for Sustainable Urban Development (HLPF 2024 Side Event)!

The UN-Habitat, the United Nations entity responsible for sustainable urban development – is pleased to invite editors and reporters based in Nairobi to a media briefing on 22 February at the UN complex in Gigiri.

UN-Habitat, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, believes that these models can be localised and scaled up through the Global Partnership for Local Investment, where experiences are shared to build a local finance framework for cities and communities, to help distribute existing funding and finance to where it can deliver the greatest impact.

The local finance framework integrates three key solutions to facilitate this access:

Cities Investment Facility (CIF)

UN-Habitat/UNCDF Guarantee Facility for Sustainable Cities

Rapid Own Source Revenue Analysis (ROSRA)

PROGRAMME

Get the World Health Day 2023 Programme.

In the prevailing economic situation, local governments have faced increased difficulty to gain increased access to external resources to fund their development.

The local finance framework integrates three key solutions to facilitate this access:

Cities Investment Facility (CIF)

UN-Habitat/UNCDF Guarantee Facility for Sustainable Cities

Rapid Own Source Revenue Analysis (ROSRA)