Special Haiti session

The Government of Brazil has announced a special event at the World Urban Forum to mobilize support for rebuilding Haiti after the disastrous earthquake on 12 January 2010 which left over 200,000 people dead and 1.2 million homeless. The event, which will have high representation from the Government of Haiti, has drawn a lot of interest from many countries attending the Forum.

Gender Assembly

For the first time, the World Urban Forum will include a Gender Equality Action Assembly. The Assembly provides a unique platform to promote policy dialogue on gender equality and urbanization and gives grassroots women a chance to bring their issues to ministers, parliamentarians, mayors and urban practitioners. In the meantime, join our e-debate on Women and the Environment

Youth Fund winners to present their projects

Some winners of the 2009 Urban Youth Fund grants will present their projects at the Youth Assembly and explain how their initiatives contribute to youth- led urban development. There were 67 winners out of more than 1,100 applicants. Applications for the 2010 Fund opened on 15 February 2010.

World Urban Forum training registration opens

Registration is now open for World Urban Forum participants to reserve a seat at one of 24 courses which will take place from 23 – 25 March during the Forum. The training is organized by reputable organizations and there is a wide range of topics on offer - from urban design and climate change adaptation to water efficiency and collaborative governance. There is very high demand for these courses so book now!

Calling youth to serve on Youth Advisory Board

UN-HABITAT is inviting nominations for the 2010-2012 Youth Advisory Board which advises on strategies to engage young people in sustainable urbanization. It also advocates for youth-led initiatives in urban areas.

Deadline for Hariri Award extended to 25 February 2010

The Rafik Hariri Award will be presented for the first time at the World Urban Forum. The deadline for applications is now extended to 25 February 2010. Click here for more details.