Every October, UN-Habitat and partners organize a month of activities, events and discussions on urban sustainability. This year, Urban October activities will begin with World Habitat Day on 5 October.
The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. World Habitat Day was established in 1985 by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 40/202, and was first celebrated in 1986. It takes place on the first Monday of October.
Previous World Habitat Days
| Year | Theme | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Public Spaces for All’ | ||
| 2012 | Changing Cities, Building Opportunities | Islamabad, Pakistan | |
| 2011 | Cities and Climate Change | Aguascalientes, Mexico | |
| 2010 | Better City, Better Life | Shanghai, China | |
| 2009 | Planning our urban future | Washington, D.C. | |
| 2008 | Harmonious Cities | Luanda, Angola | |
| 2007 | A safe city is a just city | The Hague, Netherlands | |
| 2006 | Cities, magnets of hope | Naples | |
| Kazan | |||
| 2005 | The Millennium Development Goals and the City | Jakarta | |
| 2004 | Cities – Engines of Rural Development | Nairobi | |
| 2003 | Water and Sanitation for Cities | Rio de Janeiro | |
| 2002 | City-to-City Cooperation | Brussels | |
| 2001 | Cities without Slums | Fukuoka | |
| 2000 | Women in Urban Governance | Jamaica | |
| 1999 | Cities for All | Dalian | |
| 1998 | Safer Cities | Dubai | |
| 1997 | Future Cities | Bonn | |
| 1996 | Urbanization, Citizenship and Human Solidarity | Budapest | |
| 1995 | Our Neighbourhood | Curitiba | |
| 1994 | Home and the Family | Dakar | |
| 1993 | Women and Shelter Development | New York City | |
| 1992 | Shelter and Sustainable Development | New York City | |
| 1991 | Shelter and the Living Environment | Hiroshima | |
| 1990 | Shelter and Urbanization | London | |
| 1989 | Shelter, Health and the Family | Jakarta | |
| 1988 | Shelter and Community | London | |
| 1987 | Shelter for the Homeless | New York City | |
| 1986 | Shelter is my Right | Nairobi |
Information on the previous World Habitat Day celebrations is available here.