UN-HABITAT on Monday announced the winners of its 2010 Scroll of Honour
, the UN's most prestigious award in human settlements development. The awards, which honour individuals and institutions instrumental in improving living conditions in towns and cities, will be bestowed on World Habitat Day.
Highlights of the Shanghai World Habitat Day celebrations
The Global Observance of World Habitat Day in Shanghai on Monday 4 October will be held at the Huating Hotel. In what promises to be a glittering occasion, the celebrations will be hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development and the Shanghai Municipal Government. Among the delegates attending from around the world, will be the award winners of the UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour, the UK Building and Social Housing Foundation World Habitat Award, and the Chinese National Habitat Award. Highlights include high level statements, the award ceremony, cultural events, and a session where award winners will share their best practices on building sustainable cities. Delegates will also have a chance visit the Shanghai World Expo 2010 whose theme, Better City, Better Life is the same as this year's World Habitat Day theme.
Habitat Week in Shanghai
In addition to the World Habitat Day celebrations on 4 October, UN-HABITAT is organizing an interesting array of meetings and cultural events to promote better cities, 4-10 October at the Shanghai Expo UN pavilion. These include launches a new publication, The State of Chinese Cities, a new UN-HABITAT website in Chinese funded by Rizhao municipality, and a new global urban online portal to promote knowledge of urban affairs. There will be performances by UN-HABITAT Messengers of Truth musicians and a photographic exhibition featuring emerging cities by the Alessandro Scotti, a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. Leading experts will invite partners and the public to discussions on water for cities, post-distater reconstruction, diversity, density, opportunity, and sustainable urban development, among others.
Former mayor of Barcelona elected to head
UN-HABITAT
The UN General Assembly elected Mr. Joan Clos, former mayor of Barcelona as Executive Director of UN-HABITAT at the level of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations. His four-year term starts 18 October 2010. Mr. Clos has a long career in the Spanish Government both at the local and national level. Between 2006 and 2008, he was appointed Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade in President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s cabinet. Prior to this, between 1997 and 2006, Joan Clos served two terms as Mayor of Barcelona. He is currently Ambassador to the Republics of Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Your city – the good, the bad and the ugly!
The theme for this year’s World Habitat Day is Better City, Better Life. Tell us the good and the bad things about your city, what you think the authorities should do, and what you can do to improve your city. Take part and you may win a World Habitat Day T-shirt.
Campaigning for Better Cities
Thanks to all our partners who are organizing World Habitat Day events around the world to campaign for sustainable urbanization. Tell us at whd@unhabitat.org how you are celebrating the day so that we can publish your event on the World Habitat Day website. To continue the campaign for better cities after World Habitat Day, join our World Urban Campaign.
Help spread the word about World Habitat Day!
Download the logo and all other materials on this page and feel free to share them with your friends.
