New hosts of World Habitat Day and World Cities Day announced

NAIROBI, KENYA: UN-Habitat unveiled the next hosts for the global observance of Urban October. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the second United Nations Habitat Assembly that is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 5 to 9 June 2023.

World Habitat Day 2023 will be hosted in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan, and World Habitat Day 2024 will be celebrated in the city of Querétaro, United Mexican States.

World Cities Day 2023 will be hosted by the municipality of Üsküdar in Istanbul, Türkiye. Urban October was developed to raise awareness, promote participation, generate knowledge and engage the international community in creating a better urban future.

“Urban October, World Habitat Day and World Cities Day are a great opportunity to raise awareness and push for immediate action in cities and communities,” said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

Every October UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency for cities and towns, and partners organize a month of activities, events, and discussions on urban sustainability. Urban October is an opportunity for people around the world to join the conversation about the challenges and opportunities created by the fast pace of change in our cities and towns.

The month begins with World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October. First celebrated in 1986, World Habitat Day reflects on the state of our towns and cities and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. A different host city is selected to celebrate the global observance each year. The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award is one of the highlights of the World Habitat Day observance. Since 1985, 31 cities have hosted the global celebration of World Habitat Day.

World Cities Day brings Urban October to an end on 31 October. It was first celebrated in 2014. As with World Habitat Day, a global observance is held in a different city each year, and the day focuses on a specific theme. It celebrates cities and pushes forward cooperation among countries to address urbanization challenges and meet new opportunities.