United Nations Human Settlements Programme P.O. Box 30030, GPO Nairobi, 00100, Kenya Telephone: +254 20 762 3120 infohabitat@unhabitat.org www.unhabitat.org
PHOTO: © Gobierno de Aguascalientes
“Let us work together to combat climate change, encouraging our cities and towns to vigorously implement mitigation and adaptation measures.” –
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 2010
PHOTOS: © Gobierno de Aguascalientes
“Urban planning is fundamental for effective climate change action both in mitigation and adaptation” –
UN-HABITAT Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos, 2011
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
Introduction 03
W
e are pleased to announce that the Global Observance of World Habitat Day this year will be held in Aguascalientes, one of the fastest growing cities,Mexico under the theme of Cities and Climate Change. World Habitat Day 2011 marks the second occasion in two years that Mexico takes a lead on climate change. Last year, the country hosted the United Nations climate change talks in Cancún. As UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reminded us: “The outcomes in Cancún have given us important tools. Now we must use them, and strengthen our efforts in line with the scientific imperative for action.”
Prevention can be greatly enhanced through better land-use planning and building codes so that cities keep their ecological footprint to the minimum, and ensure their residents, especially the poorest, are protected as best as possible against climate change disaster, be it drought, floods, or other calamities.
The report seeks to improve knowledge on urban development and climate change including the contribution of cities to climate change and its impacts on cities. More importantly, it identifies promising mitigation and adaptation measures to support more sustainable and resilient urban development.
In tackling urban poverty and climate change, we therefore have to think globally and locally at the same time. We need to understand that the fastest way to mitigate against climate change disaster is to reduce urban poverty and save as much energy as we can.
The theme of Cities and Climate Change was chosen because climate change is fast becoming the preeminent development challenge of the 21st century. Indeed, no-one today can really foresee the predicament in which a town or city will find itself in 10, 20 or 30 years time. In this new urban era with most of humanity now living in towns and cities, we must bear in mind that the greatest impacts of disasters resulting from climate change begin and end in cities. Cities too have a great influence on climate change.
It is no coincidence that global climate change has become a leading international development issue precisely at the same time and at the same rate as the world has become urbanized.
The long lasting cooperation between the Estados Unidos Mexicanos (Mexico) and UN-HABITAT has gradually expanded since 2004, when the Ministry for Social Development offered to host a UN-HABITAT national office. The work programme reflects Mexico’s commitment in achieving significant improvement in the lives of slum dwellers, in line with the Millennium Development Goals. Urban development is closely monitored through an extensive network of Local Observatories, and a State of Mexican Cities Report is under preparation. Activities today supported by UN-HABITAT Mexico focus on the water and sanitation sector, urban planning and promotion of urban safety and conviviality in public spaces. A new programme in the area of sustainable urban mobility is under development.
This gives us a compelling set of opportunities because cities with their people, industries, seats of learning, culture and infrastructure can provide the best solutions when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving coping mechanisms and reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate disruption.
This is why UN-HABITAT’s 2011 Global Report on Human Settlements also focuses on Cities and Climate Change. A shocking finding of the report is that greenhouse gas emissions spewed out by cities account for up to 70 percent of the world’s pollution – much of it coming from our fossil fuel consumption for electricity, transport, energy use in commercial and residential buildings, industrial production and waste. It also shows mounting evidence of the risks posed by climate change for urban areas and their growing populations which affect water supply, physical infrastructure, transport, ecosystem goods and services, energy provision, industrial production and economies.
It is our hope that you will all join us to commemorate World Habitat Day on 3 October to raise greater awareness of the very important urban dimension of climate change. Together, we can do something for the future of our planet by devising new actions to help offset or even reverse the climate change crisis facing us.
World Habitat Day 2011
Cities and Climate Change
Raise awareness in your city 04
organize a world habitat day event 2011
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s a guide, here are some of the activities that you can help organize
1. Use mass media, particularly newspapers, radio and television, to draw attention to World Habitat Day celebrations. If possible, issue press releases, display posters, organize press conferences, and broadcast video and audio spots. 2. Draw attention to the problems and issues on this year’s theme of Cities and Climate Change through press articles, radio and television documentaries and panel programmes with policy makers, government officials, academics, journalists, other professionals, and community representatives. 3. Organise public information campaigns, and use popular theatre to create awareness of the problems and issues. 4. Use the occasion to publicize, reward and demonstrate tangible improvements in mitigating the impact of climate change. 5. Organize competitions to find solutions to human settlements and urban problems. Essay and painting competitions help create awareness of the World Habitat Day theme in schools and colleges.
6. Organise fund raising, recreational or entertainment activities like football matches, or concerts, and use the proceeds to upgrade and extend services for poor communities. 7. Encourage postal authorities to issue special World Habitat Day stamps. 8. Education authorities in collaboration with local and national authorities can encourage the introduction into the school curriculum of teaching programmes about cities and climate change and environmental sustainability.
UN-HABITAT support To support city and country-level activities, UN-HABITAT will compile an information kit including a poster, and a short video on the theme for use by any partner planning a World Habitat Day event. Information kits will be mailed to partners, Embassies and High Commissions, Inter-governmental Organizations, United Nations Information offices, UNDP country offices and other UN agencies.
Keep us informed Please let us know if you wish to organize a local awareness-raising event by sending an e-mail to whd@unhabitat. org providing as many details as possible about the event. And once World Habitat Day is over, please provide us brief details of media coverage and photographs if possible. This year, you can also post your event and photos on the Urban Gateway at www.urbangateway.org, our new online urban community platform. We will post these on the World Habitat Day page of our website www.unhabitat.org/whd, which receives millions of visitors and include them in the final World Habitat Day report, which is sent to all our key partners. Thank you for your continued support.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
World Habitat Day global observances from 1986 to 2010 05 YEAR
THEMES
VENUE
CHIEF GUEST
2010
Better City, Better Life
Shanghai
Mr. Qi Ji, Deputy Minister for Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr. Shen Jun, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai
2009
Planning Our Urban Future
Washington D.C.
Mr. Shaun Donovan, Secretary of State, Department of Housing and Urban Development
2008
Harmonious Cities
Luanda
President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos
2007
A Safe City is a Just City
The Hague
Ms. Ella Vogelaar, Minister for Housing, Communities and Integration Mr. Bert Koenders, Minister for Development Cooperation
2006
2005
Cities Magnets of Hope
The Millennium Development
Monterrey
Ms. Beatriz Zavala Peniche, Minister for Social Development
Naples
Vittorio Craxi, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Multi-lateral affairs
Kazan
Kamil Iskhakov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in Far East Federal Region and President of the United Cites and Local Government Euro-Asia Regional Section
Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Goals and the City 2004
Cities - Engines of Rural Development
Nairobi
President Mwai Kibaki
2003
Water and Sanitation for Cities
Rio de Janeiro
Mayor of Rio de Janeiro
2002
City-to-City Cooperation
Brussels
H.R.H. Prince Philippe
2001
Cities without Slums
Fukuoka
Governor of Fukuoka Prefecture
2000
Women in Urban Governance
Jamaica
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land and Environment
1999
Cities for All
Dalian
Minister of Construction
1998
Safer Cities
Dubai
Director General Dubai Municipality
World Habitat Day 2011
Cities and Climate Change
1997
Future Cities
Bonn
Federal Minister for Regional Planning, Building and Urban Development
06
1996
Urbanization, Citizenship
Budapest
Minister of the Interior and Human Solidarity
1995
Our Neighbourhood
Curitiba
Mayor of Curitiba
1994
Home and the Family
Dakar
President of Senegal
1993
Women and Shelter Development
UN, New York
SG, UN
1992
Shelter and Sustainable Development
UN, New York
SG, UN
1991
Shelter and the Living Environment
Hiroshima
Mayor of Hiroshima
1990
Shelter and Urbanization
London
Hon. Sir Geoffrey Howe
1989
Shelter, Health and the Family
Jakarta
President of Indonesia
1988
Shelter and Community
London
Archbishop of Canterbury
1987
Shelter for the Homeless
New York
SG, UN
1986
Shelter is my Right
Nairobi
USG, UNCHS (Habitat)
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
Habitat Scroll of Honour Award Winners 1989 to 2010 07 2010
2008
Sustainable Urban Renewal Programme, Austria
The ancient canal city of Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province, China
Kunshan Municipal People’s Government, China
The bustling port city of Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu Province, China
The City of Medellin, Colombia
The city of Bugulma in the Tartarstan Republic of western Russia
The Kingdom of Morocco, Morocco Housing and Development Board, Singapore
The capital of Rwanda, Kigali
The Johannesburg Social Housing Company, South Africa
Nanjing Municipal Government, China (Special Citation)
The Government of Spain’s Local Investment State Fund (Special Citation)
2007
2009
The Nanning Municipal People’s Government of China
Peter Oberlander, Canada Un Techo Para Mi Pais, Chile Rizhao Municipal Government, China CEMEX, Mexico The City of Grozny, Russia The Saudi Al-Madina Al Munawarah Local Urban Observatory, Saudi Arabia
The city of Juarez, Mexico
Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler, Historian of the City of Havana, Cuba Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, The Netherlands Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, Deputy Chairman, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority, Pakistan
The French firm Veolia Environment, France The Government of Alexandria, Egypt Cardinal Renato Martino, President of the Political Council for Justice and Peace, Italy Pag IBIG Fund, The Philippines Federation Yaroslavl City Administration, Russia King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden and His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister, The Kingdom of Bahrain (Special Citation) 2005 The Municipal Basic Information Research, Brazil The Municipal People’s Government of Yantai, China The Municipality of Kazan City, Russia Ms. Rose Molokoane, South Africa Sarvodaya Shramandana Movement, Sri Lanka
The Palestinian Housing Council
Professor Johan Silas, Indonesia
The Stavropol City Administration’s Project, Russia
Jakarta Metropolitan City, Indonesia
The City of Malmö, Sweden Uganda Women’s Efforts to Save Children (UWESO), Uganda
The Mwanza Rural Housing Programme, Tanzania
The Alexandra Renewal Project, South Africa
Jan Peterson of Huairou Commission, USA
North Sumatra Governor Tengku Rizal Nurdin (posthumous), Indonesia 2004
Journalist Neal Peirce, USA
2006
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea (Special Citation)
The National Cities Conference Programme, Ministry of Cities, Brazil The Yangzhou Municipal, The People’s Government of China
Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, China Centre for Development Communication, India The Big Issue magazine, United Kingdom
World Habitat Day 2011
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08
President Joaquim Chissano, Mozambique (Special Citation)
Fukuoka City, Japan
Prof. Akin L. Mabogunje, Nigeria
Father Pedro Opeka, Madagascar
Vladimir A. Kudryavtsev, Russia
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Lebanon (Special Citation)
Centre on Housing Rights and Eviction, Switzerland
Association des Habitants del Mourouje, Tunisia
2003
The Cooperating Committee for Japan Habitat Fukuoka Office (Special Citation)
1997
Mrs. Margaret Catley-Carlson, Canada
Sen. Oscar Lopez Velarde Vega, México
Weihai Municipal Government, China
2000
Mr. German Garcia Duran, Colombia
Ms. Ana Vasilache, Romania
South African Homeless Peoples
Ms. Nasreen Mustafa Sideek, Iraq
Ms. Caroline Pezzullo, USA
Federation, South Africa
Pamoja Trust, Kenya
Mrs. Jacqueline da Costa, Jamaica
Mayor Huang Ziqiang, China
Mrs. Sankie D. Mthembi-Mahanyele, South Africa
Women and Peace Network, Costa Rica Ms. Mary Jane, The Philippines
Reinhard Goethert and Nabeel Hamdi, USA, Britain
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Switzerland
International Union of Local Authorities, The Netherlands
Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Canada
Ms. Zena Daysh, Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, UK
Ms. Sheela Patel, India
Mr. Peter Elderfield, United Kingdom (Special Citation)
Ms. Teolinda Bolívar, Venezuela His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand (Special Citation) 2002 City-to-City cooperation between Nakuru, Kenya and Leuven, Belgium
Mr. Charles Keenja, Tanzania Ms. Mmatshilo Motsei, South Africa 1999 Ms. Habiba Eid, Egypt Mr. Bo Xilai Mayor of Dalian, China National Slum Dwellers Federation, India
Mother Center Stuttgart, Germany
Mr. Radinal Moochtar, Minister of Public Works, Indonesia (Special Citation) 1996 Mohamed Hashi, Mayor of Hargeisa, Somalia The late Sidhijai Tanphiphat, Thailand
Brazilian Institute of Municipal Administration, Brazil
Mr. Alvaro Villota Berna, Colombia President Rudolf Schuster, Slovak Republic
Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Zambia
Baotou Municipal Government, China
Mr. Pierre Laconte, Belgium
The SISCAT Group, Bolivia
CITYNET based in Yokohama, Japan
Mr. Millard Fuller, USA
Jnos SZAB, Budapest
Dutch Habitat Platform, The Netherlands
Hon. Kwamena Ahwoi, Ghana
Mayor Joan Clos, Spain
Operation Firimbi, Kenya
Hou Jie, Minister of Construction, China (Special Citation) Peter Kimm, USA (Special Citation)
ENDA Tiers Monde, Dakar, Senegal Ren Frank, USA
1998
John Hodges, United Kingdom (Special Citation)
Programa de Mobilizaco de Comunidades, Brazil
1995
Fu-Nan River Comprehensive
Government of Cear, Brazil
Revitalization Project Chendu, China
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy, Poland
2001 Hangzhou Municipal Government, China Ms. Pastora Nuez Gonzalez, Cuba Bremer Beginenhof Modell, Germany
Mayor Mu Suixin, Mayor of Shenyang, China Forum Européene pour la Sécurité Urbaine, France
Comunidades Programme State
Urban Community Development Office, Thailand
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
Mr. Gangadhar Rao Dattatri, India
Woodless Construction Project, Niger
1989
Projet de Taza, Agence Nationale de lutte contre l’Habitat Insalubre (ANHI), Morocco
Mr. Laurie Baker, India
Mr.Otto Koenigsberger, United Kingdom
Mr. Yona Friedman, USA
Mr.Hassan Fathy, Egypt
Mayor Jaime Lerner Curitiba, Brazil
Mr.Lauchlin Currie, USA
Mr. Rozanov Evgueni Grigorievich, Russian Federation
Habitat for Humanity International, USA
La cooperative des veuves de Save Duhozanye, Rwanda Shanghai Municipal Housing Project, China Mr. Joe Slovo (deceased), South Africa 1994 Mr. Qassim Sultan, United Arab Emirates Bank Tabungan Negara (State Housing Bank of Indonesia), Indonesia Programme d’Habitat Cooperatif, Senegal Mr. Jorge E. Hardoy (deceased), Argentina Housing Development Administration, Turkey 1993
Mr. John F.C.Turner, United Kingdom 1991 Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, Costa Rica Urban Development Authority, Singapore Cooperative Housing Foundation, USA National Housing Development Authority, Sri Lanka Housing and Urban Development Cooperation, India Housing Development Finance Corporation, India Sengki Land-sharing Project, Thailand
Cités Unies Developpement, France
Projet Assistance IECOSAT, Burundi
Build Together Programme, Namibia
Institute for Building Materials, Viet Nam
Mr. Anthony Williams Bullard, United Kingdom
Tamako Nakanishi, Japan
1992 Intermediate Technology Development Group, United Kingdom Shenzhen Housing Bureau, China Habitat International Coalition, Mexico East Wahdat Upgrading Project, Jordan Earthquake Emergency Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme, Nepal Rural Housing Reconstruction with Appropriate Technologies, Ecuador Namuwongo Upgrading and Low-Cost Housing, Uganda New Urban Communities in Egypt, Egypt World Relief El Salvador Housing Reconstruction Project, El Salvador
11 Arch. Leandro Quintana Uranga, Venezuela 1990 Lord Scarman, United Kingdom Tangshan Municipal Government, China Construyamos, Colombia Craterre, France Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority, United Republic of Tanzania Human Settlement Foundation, Thailand 31-03 American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, Illinois, USA
09
World Habitat Day 2011
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GLOBAL OBSERVANCE of World Habitat Day 2010 in Shanghai, China 010
T
he global celebration of World Habitat Day was celebrated with fanfare on Monday 4 October as China and UN-HABITAT feted the 2010 winners of Scroll of Honour Awards, the World Habitat Awards and China’s own Habitat Environment awards. “As our world grows predominantly urban, World Habitat Day provides an annual opportunity to reflect on how we can make our towns and cities better places for all,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement read on his behalf by Dr. Awni Behnam, Commissioner General of the United Nations pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 Expo. With the Expo theme ‘Better City, Better Life’, also chosen to mark World Habitat Day, the highly publicised 2010 observance highlighted the actions and policies which can improve wellbeing for the millions and millions of people languishing in urban slums and other substandard housing around the world. In keynote addresses the main hosts on Monday, Mr. Shen Jun, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, and Mr. Qi Ji, Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Developed both highlighted the progress China had made in providing as much housing as possible for those in need of shelter over the past 30 years. Addressing an audience that included several African mayors, both also offered to share the country’s wisdom and know-how in housing policy with other developing countries around the world. Ambassador Inga Björk-Klevby, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Officer in Charge of UN-HABITAT,
Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, Mr. Shen Jun, UN-HABITAT Deputy Executive Director, Mrs. Inga Bjork-Klevby and Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr. Qi Ji during the Global Observance of World Habitat Day 2010 in Shanghai
thanked the Chinese authorities in her keynote address for hosting the celebrations, and she also paid a special word of tribute to Dr. Behnam for making the UN pavilion such a success. After the Chinese awards were handed out, Ms. Jane Nyakairu, Chief of UNHABITAT’s Information Services Section presented the 2010 Habitat Scroll of Honour winners, and Ms. Diane Diacon, President of The Building and Housing Social Foundation headquartered in the United Kingdom, honoured the winners of the 2010 World Habitat Awards. In another highlight, UN-HABITAT launched its official Chinese-language website, sponsored by the Rizhao Municipality, a 2009 Scroll of Honour award winner.
Professor Mao Qizhi, Associate Dean of the Tsinghua University School of Architecture, launched an authoritative report, The State of China’s Cities published jointly by UN-HABITAT, the China Science Centre of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, and the China Association of Mayors. Mr. Daniel Biau, Director of UN-HABITAT’s Regional and Technical Cooperation Division, presented the agency’s first ever State of Asian Cities which was also launched on World Habitat Day. Celebrations to mark the occasion were held in many cities around the world, including Barcelona, Nakuru in Kenya, Kathmandu and scores of other locations.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
The Secretary-General’s message on World Habitat Day 2010 011
A
s our world grows predominantly urban, World Habitat Day provides an annual opportunity to reflect on how we can make our towns and cities better places for all. With the theme “Better City, Better Life”, this year’s observance highlights the actions and policies that can improve well-being for the billion people who live in slums and other substandard housing around the world. Typically living in developing countries, and largely powerless, disenfranchised and under the age of 25, the urban poor are too often condemned to a life without basic rights, hope of an education or decent work. Lacking adequate provision of fresh water, electricity, sanitation or health care, they suffer privations that all too often provide the tinder for the fires of social unrest. Vulnerable to exploitation and corruption, they need and deserve better cities and a better life.
The challenges of urban poverty – from pollution to criminal gang culture – are not insurmountable. Many cities are finding successful solutions. Smart cities recognize the importance of good governance, basic urban services for all, and streets and public spaces where women and children feel safe. They also recognize that better cities can help to mitigate global challenges, such as climate change, by promoting energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Creating better cities demands the combined efforts of national and local governments, civil society and the private sector, supported by the best efforts of the United Nations system. On World Habitat Day, let us pledge to join hands to make better cities for a better future for all.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon
World Habitat Day 2011
Cities and Climate Change
UN-HABITAT World Habitat Day Message 012
C
ities are the greatest legacy of humanity and the greatest achievement of our civilization. Around the world and through the centuries cities have endured and survived wars, famine, natural disasters, epidemics, crumbling empires, and the disappearance of the gods, kings and queens for whom they were built. But we have to keep improving our cities, and doing that means making our cities better for those who live in them and for those yet to be born in a world that will be from here on forever urban. Today half of humanity lives in towns and cities, and the trends show that this figure will increase to two-thirds within the next two generations. This is why the theme chosen for World Habitat Day, Better City, Better Life is so important to all of us. To that I would add the term smarter city, for it is only a smart city that can provide its citizens with a better life in our planet’s new urban era. It is an era we are entering with many unknowns, especially when it comes to the global impact of climate change.
We have all the tools at our disposal in good science to mitigate against most such problems. We also have the tools and knowhow for good governance, education – especially for women and girls – health services, toilets for all, or energy efficiency. We are smart, but we have to be smarter. And World Habitat Day 2010 is an occasion to highlight five strategic steps that can be taken:
Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
1. Improve the quality of life, especially for the estimated 1 billion people living in slums and other sub-standard housing around the world. Improved access to safe and healthy shelter, secure tenure, basic services and social amenities such as health and education are essential to a better life for every individual.
Inga Björk-Klevby
2. Invest in human capital. This is a condition for socio-economic development and a more equitable distribution of the urban advantage. This will also enable cities and regions to implement policies more effectively and to ensure that they are properly adjusted to local needs.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
013 3. Foster sustained economic opportunities. Cities can stimulate sustained economic growth for the poor through labour-intensive projects. These include primarily public works and the construction industry. Cities in the developing world are starting to provide social security to give better access to economic opportunities for those traditionally excluded. 4. Enhance political inclusion. Today, more and more municipal and national authorities share the same basic philosophy: bringing government within the reach of ordinary people through enhanced mutual engagement. This means engaging people and their neighbourhoods in dialogue and participation in decision-making as a fundamental aspect of local democracy.
5. Promote cultural inclusion. Culture has historically been left out of the conventional international development agenda. More and more local development policies take into account the cultural dimensions of urban life, such as social capital, tradition, symbols, a sense of belonging and pride of place. This helps integrate ethnic minorities, preserve regional values, safeguard linguistic and religious diversity, resolve conflicts and protect the heritage. As we move into a world of better cities with smarter policies, these are the five essential catalysts for success and a better life for all.
Mr. Jianzhi Huang of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination receives special award for highlighting urbanisation at Expo 2010 which was themed Better City, Better Life
From L to R, launch of the UN-HABITAT Chinese Website, launch of The State of China’s Cities Report, and launch of The State of Asian Cities Report at Global Observance of World Habitat Day in Shanghai
World Habitat Day 2011
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SCROLL OF HONOUR AWARD WINNERS 2010 014 Sustainable Urban Renewal Programme (Austria) Vienna Municipality’s Sustainable Urban Renewal Programme is awarded for putting people and their views first in a model urban renovation programme. Dr. Michael Ludwig, Deputy Mayor of Vienna; Mr. Yury Fedotov, United Nations Office in Vienna Director General, Mr. Antonio Maria Costa and George Deikun, Head of UN-HABITAT Geneva Liaison Office in Austria.
Kunshan Municipal People’s Government (China) The Kunshan Municipal People’s Government is awarded for an innovative approach to granting migrants the right to essential services in the city. Mayor of Kunshan Mr. Aiguo Guan with his Deputy Mayor Mr. Xiaoliang Xia.
The City of Medellin (Colombia) The City of Medellin is awarded for the successful implementation of three programmes to reduce urban poverty, provide health care for children and give citizens a say in urban services.
Medellin Mayor Alonso Salazar receives award from UN-HABITAT Deputy Executive Director Mrs. Inga Bjork Klevby.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
The Kingdom of Morocco (Morocco) The Kingdom of Morocco is awarded for delivering one of the world’s most successful and comprehensive slum reduction and improvement programmes. Mr. Abdeloihed Radi, President of Parliament and Mr. Taib Fassi Fihri, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Housing and Development Board (Singapore) The Housing and Development Board is awarded for providing one of Asia’s and the world’s greenest, cleanest and most socially conscious housing programmes. Mrs. Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of Housing and Development Board and Mr. James Koh Cher Siang, Chairman of the Board
The Johannesburg Social Housing Company (South Africa) The Johannesburg Social Housing Company is awarded for providing tens of thousands of affordable housing units, improved living conditions and basic services to poor families. JOSHCO’s Chief Executive Officer Rory Gallocher with Councillor Ruby Mathang
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World Habitat Day 2011
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CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD 016
There was a two-fold increase in the number of celebrations in 2010. We would like to thank all those who organized and took part in events to commemorate World Habitat Day and raise awareness of urban issues around the world. Argentina
Austria
In Buenos Aires City a special invitation was sent to the Information Center of the United Nations - CINU, Chamber of Deputies and Chamber of Senators, Social organizations, Non-governmental organizations of promotion and development, cooperatives, public organisms, universities and centers of research, international organisms in Argentina and social movements, to highlight the important theme Better City, Better Life. The event was held on 6 October in Rodrigo Bueno.
World Habitat Day was celebrated in Vienna by presentation of UN-HABITAT’s Scroll of Honor Award to the Honorable Michael Haupl on behalf of the City of Vienna for the significant work of the city in social housing. The celebrations were held in Vienna City Hall.
Australia Habitat for Humanity Australia held a new event called “High Tea for Habitat” on World Habitat Day. The grand hostess (ambassador) of the event was Jill JonesEvans, co-owner of the Victoria Room, who has been dubbed Sydney’s Queen of High Tea. The International Union of Architects organized the World Architecture Day on 4 October. The theme was Better City, Better Life - Sustainable by Design to link to this year’s World Habitat Day theme, Better City, Better Life. The initiative involved UIA’s 116 Member Sections in 124 countries.
Brazil In Nerópolis a special session dubbed “The Children, thinking on the construction of a city and a better life in the Municipality”, was held at the Town Hall of Nerópolis on 4 October 2010. This special session involving children aged between 6 and 14 years was requested by the OPA/ Brazilian Children’s Conference of the Millennium (CCBM) and granted by City Council Nerópolis. Activities involved public dialogue between children and community authorities and the municipality of Nerópolis about the interests, behavior, attitude and social responsibility of the child as a citizen of law - citizen in childhood and adolescence in the same way that in adulthood and old age - in order to build a city and a better life for themselves and for the entire municipality. The session was also covered by local media, by the newspaper “O Popular” of Goiás in its issue dated of October 05, 2010. The organisers of
the event were Divino Roberto Verissimo of OPA and Maria Rosa of the Education Secretariat of Nerópolis, the teachers guiding the children’s clubhouse of Nerópolis who mounted an exhibition of poems, pictures and drawings of children on the city in the lobby of the House. The event had an audience of 220 people. The Movement of Slum Women held a local awareness event in Southern Region of Fluminense, covering about 19 cities in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State to encourage the introduction of urban sustainability in the school curriculum; organize competitions in schools and colleges to find solutions to human settlements and urban problems, create awareness of the World Habitat Day; highlight the problems and opportunities on the theme of this year, Better City, Better Life, providing a sustainable urban world through exhibitions, events and discussions with policy makers, including government officials, academics, journalists, other professionals and community representatives; publicize, reward and demonstrate tangible improvements and practices to ensure a sustainable world city, to harness the potential and possibilities, reduce inequalities and disparities and provide a home for people of all cultures and ages, both rich and poor communities in the region.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
On September 28th, Habitat for Humanity Brazil, Dow Brazil, Caixa Economica Federal (federal savings and housing loans bank), Guaruja’s Local Government, and Whirlpool inaugurated the 32 houses built in partnership with the families selected using guidelines set by Guaruja’s local government based on high social risk situations. The first joint project between Dow and Habitat for Humanity in Latin America - families that used to live on the banks of a polluted river in Pae Cara neighborhood (district of Vicente de Carvalho) will have access to healthier and safer houses, served with complete water, sewage and electric power systems.
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Bangladesh Career Development Centre (CDC) Bangladesh organized a cultural event to celebrate World Habitat Day. The activities included folk and classical dance. The Coalition for the Urban Poor was formed with the guidance of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works of the Government of Bangladesh, and a group of Government and Non-Governmental organizations and activities chosen to celebrate the World Habitat Day. The Prime Minister was the chief guest. A supplement highlighting the significance of the day in the Bangladesh context was published in two Bengali and one English national dailies and talk shows hosted in the electronic media. A number of other public activities were also held. Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh teamed up with the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) and the local arm of the German development agency GTZ to commemorate the day with a roundtable forum. Papers were presented on the theme “Planning our Secondary Towns for Better Lives”. There was also an art exhibition entitled “Connecting” by
World Habitat Day 2010 national celebration at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru, Kenya. © UN-HABITAT
Brazilian artist Cida Lima and Bangladeshi sculptor Anisuzzaman, an assistant professor of fine arts at Dhaka University, whose works reflect a construction theme. Other initiatives included the publication of a souvenir book and a media outreach plan. The Department of Real Estate, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, observed World Habitat Day jointly with United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and RUPANTAR (A Direct Partner of USAID working on climate change and sustainable housing issues in the country) on 4th October 2010 at the University campus. A Grand Rally and Seminar followed by a Cultural Program was organized.
Belgium The European celebration on Monday 4 October highlighted the importance of partnership between the European
Union and UN-HABITAT. The partnership is symbolised in part by new European funding to the tune of euros 10 million (USD 13.3 million) announced to help improve the living conditions of slum dwellers in all the 79 Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The 2010 European celebration of World Habitat Day in Brussels was attended by senior European and Belgian officials. Gracing the occasion as guest of honour was VicePresident of the European Parliament, Mrs. Isabelle Durant, a Member of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and Substitute Member in the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport. She cited the importance of cities “at the heart of sustainable development”. She also said there was a need to foster a better quality of life in cities through reducing the effects of climate change by adopting measures to lower energy and fuel consumption in urban areas, particularly carbon emissions by the transport sector
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morning of October 4 for the broadcast of the Minister of Lands and Housing’s speech. A cycling event was held at Malotwane village on the eve of the event as part of the campaign to encourage use of non-motorised transport and exercise. Every effort was made to encourage the villagers and the nation at large to participate. During the event, companies/ Government Departments/ Ministries relevant to the theme showcased their products and/or services. A march was held on the morning of October 4 to mark the event. Activities planned for the day included choral music, traditional dance and poetry based on the theme as well as tour of projects relevant to the theme.
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World Habitat Day 2010 national celebration in Chennai, India © UN-HABITAT
in developed countries. Calling cities “the hot spots” of climate change, she advocated change in consumption habits, lifestyle and practices, concluding that cities must adopt good urban governance policies, remain active in exchanging good urban practices and most importantly - develop innovative models of urban mobility. Ms. Durant expressed her wish to continue cooperation with UN-HABITAT on these matters. Keynote speaker, Mr. Pierre Valette, from the European Commission’s Research Directorate, delivered a presentation on the “World and European Cities - Insights from EU Research”, a publication co-authored by his Directorate and UN-HABITAT - another symbol of the longstanding tradition of partnership between the agency and the EU’s executive, the European Commission. Mr. Valette spoke about the European Commission’s concept of Cities of Tomorrow and how to make them more sustainable and better places in which to live in the face of contemporary urban and environmental challenges.
Mr. Jean Bakole, Director of UN-HABITAT Representation Office to the European Union and Belgium, inaugurated the event and Ms. Afsane Bassir-Pour, Director of United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC), presented the message of the United Nations Secretary General.
Botswana The Department of Housing under the Ministry of Lands and Housing in Botswana commemorated the Day on October 4 in Malotwana Village, Kgatleng District. Other districts were also encouraged to commemorate the day in their various locations so that people at the grassroots are involved. Activities included; national visual artworks competition based on the theme for secondary schools, tertiary students and the general public. The winners were awarded prizes at the ceremony. Other competitions like performing arts and essay competitions were done at the local level. A slot was also reserved on the
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso joined the international community to celebrate World Habitat Day, under the theme of “Best city, best life” in the municipality of Loumbila. Under the theme of public private partnership, there was a production of 1000 social housing with urban development partners public and private urban and housing professional, technical and financial partner, NGOs, associations, and representatives of various type of population (women, young, customary leaders, religious leaders, etc). The ceremony was marked by four speeches and ended by the visit of a witness followed by the interview of the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning.
Cambodia Habitat for Humanity Cambodia mobilized over 150 local volunteers to work on its “Hard Hat Days” builds. Volunteer teams came from Pannasastra University, Logos and Northbridge International Schools, ANZ Royal Bank and TWR Radio Cambodia. The celebrations culminated with a special house dedication at the New Holistic Hope
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Community in Oudong, Kandal province, as well as the construction of the first house of its newest project, “Enhancing HIV/OAC Programs with Holistic Housing Solutions” in Sen Sok community.
Cameroon Concerned Minds for Habitation Securities (COMIHAS) celebrated World Habitat Day by organizing a choral singing competition on the theme Better City, Better Life. The competition was geared at raising awareness on habitat issues in Cameroon and the world. The World Habitat Day activities startedc with a TV talk show on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) on 30 September, where the Executive Director of COMIHAS was the guest. For the main celebration on 4 October, COMIHAS there were two activities; a joint communal work with Habitat for Humanity Cameroon office at the low cost housing project site, situated at “mile 14 Dibanda” Fako Division, and a Choral singing competition which will be held at the South West Regional headquarters of Buea. Habitat for Humanity Cameroon participated in a national radio and television debate on social housing policy with other housing organizations and partners. They also hosted a build day on Saturday 2 October. Habitat for Humanity Cameroon on 29 September contacted journalists of various press organs (“COM. News” and “Integrations”) in order to give them information to publish about the contribution of Habitat for Humanity Cameroon in the fight against poverty housing in Cameroon. On 30 September, the RD&C Officer of HFH Cameroon, Guidioni Lowé took part at the Cameroon Radio and Television debate, on the Social housing policy in Cameroon with other housing organizations and partners. On the same day, in association with
the other social housing organisations and the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, the local NGO named CONGEH (Coalition des ONG et OCB du Cameroun oeuvrant dans le domaine des Etablissements Humains), CIAH (Collectif Inter-Africain des Habitants), ENSP (Ecole Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique) and Habitat for Humanity Cameroon, organised a conference debate/Workshop on the theme: “Better City, Better Life” in Yaoundé. October 2 was Investment day in Yaoundé bringing together the beneficiaries, the staff of Congeh’s, CIAH and Habitat for Humanity Cameroon in the locality of Nyomo, 15 kilometres from the city of Yaounde. The different actors have the project to build 500 houses on this site for the vulnerable people in need of decent shelters in Yaounde. On 4 October, Guidioni Lowé, the RD&C Officer of HfHC was interviewed by the Communication Unit of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing of Cameroon on the contribution of HFHC in the fight against poverty housing in Cameroon. This interview was aired on the same day on the National Radio.
Canada The City of Toronto marked World Habitat Day at the Toronto City Hall on Tuesday, October 5, by signing of the City of Toronto’s new Housing Charter. This special event was presided over by Mayor David Miller, and Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, Chair, Affordable Housing Committee. Habitat for Humanity Toronto co-sponsored the event with the City. The Toronto Housing Charter – Opportunity for All, the first in Canada, is a key part of Housing Opportunities Toronto—An Affordable Housing Action Plan 20102020, passed by the City Council on August 5, 2009. The Charter is designed to guide City Council and staff in their
efforts to assist those who often face challenges finding affordable housing, from newcomers and single parents to seniors and those with disabilities. It states that all residents have the right to equal treatment in housing without discrimination as provided by the Ontario Human Rights Code. In addition, the event also honoured Toronto’s Home Ownership Alternatives for being one of nine worldwide finalists for the UN’s 2008-2009 World Habitat Awards. Habitat for Humanity in Montreal promoted World Habitat Day at a block party in the Habitat for Humanity store in Montreal. Habitat for Humanity Toronto commemorated World Habitat Day to raise awareness of the affordable housing need. HFH Toronto held several events on October 4th, 2010 focused on raising the awareness of the need of affordable housing in Toronto, Canada and around the world. The charity urged Torontonians to join them in commemorating World Habitat Day 2010 and advocating for affordable housing in the city. In observance of the day, W. Edmund Clark, President and CEO of TD Bank Financial Group, opened trading on Toronto Stock Exchange on behalf of Habitat for Humanity Toronto and was be joined by Habitat Toronto homeowners, volunteers, partners and staff. The Home Ownership Alternatives organized a cocktail reception in recognition of the World Habitat Day and to raise awareness of the need for affordable housing in Toronto and Ontario. The event was at the Enoch Turner School House, Toronto on 4 October.
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The University of British Columbia Okanagan held its annual Urban Forum for Sustainability in collaboration with the local municipal government on World Habitat Day. Activities included a panel discussion with academics and community stakeholders on campus, a mini-conference opened to graduate students from Western Canada, a public lecture open to the community and a photography or art contest involving the Faculty of Fine Arts.
Cape Verde The Ministry of Habitat (MDHOT) and UNHABITAT organized a debate: “Um Habitat Humanizado”, a Humanized Habitat address to university students, architects, engineers and social workers in order to sensitize the different actors on the importance of the theme Better City, Better Life campaign. The Resident Coordinator made a presentation of UN-HABITAT activities in Cape Verde. Two specialists from Portugal presented and debated the theme Humanized Habitat in Cape Verde. Around 50 participants attended the 2 hours conference at the University Piaget. The second activity for the celebration consisted in airing of 6 television spots on the campaign Better City, Better Life, on the public television 3 times a day until the 21 of November.
China The global celebration of World Habitat Day was celebrated with fanfare as China and UN-HABITAT feted the 2010 winners of Scroll of Honour Awards, the World Habitat Awards and China’s own Habitat Environment awards. With the Expo theme ‘Better City, Better Life’, also chosen for to mark World Habitat Day, the highly publicised 2010 observance highlighted the actions and policies which can improve wellbeing for the millions and millions of
people languishing in urban slums and other sub-standard housing around the world. In keynote addresses the main hosts, Mr. Shen Jun, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, and Mr. Qi Ji, Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Developed both highlighted the progress China had made in providing as much housing as possible for those in need of shelter over the past 30 years. Addressing an audience that included several African mayors, both also offered to share the country’s wisdom and know-how in housing policy with other developing countries around the world. Ambassador Inga Björk-Klevby, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Officer in Charge of UN-HABITAT, thanked the Chinese authorities in her keynote address for hosting the celebrations, and she also paid a special word of tribute to Dr. Behnam for making the UN pavilion such a success. Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong office designed a special polo T-shirt signed by two of their celebrity volunteers – actors Karen Mok and Daniel Wu. For a HK$100 (US$13) donation, caring companies associated with home design, furnishings and appliances received a shirt .Habitat also launched a school competition to educate and advocate for decent shelter. Habitat for Humanity China invited students from 1,500 primary and secondary schools to take part in a house design competition. Students were encouraged to visit HFH China’s Tai O House Restoration Project and then submit their own design for a house built on stilts, like those in Tai O. The winning entries were showcased in a public exhibition in early 2011. In Shanghai, a series of Habitat builds were organized in the Pinghu community outside the city.
Colombia UN-HABITAT’s National Office in Colombia had these activities: On 31 September Tree Planting and Stand Up for MDG 7 at the El Tunal Park. Partners included Botanical Garden, United Nations Volunteers and Habitat for Humanity. On 1 October, the Safer Cities for Women March in the Candelaria (Bogota´s historic district) while the Woman and Habitat Network held the Safer Cities for Women Dialogue with Bogota´s Mayor and UNIFEM at the Historic Urban Heritage Institute. On 30 September and 1 -4 October, the ‘Dreams inspire the future of cities- Cities in 2030’ event was held in partnership with the University of Rosario. The highlight of the activities was on 4 October with the National Habitat Committee Seminar at UNDP Colombia. The subject was ‘Contributions for the new housing and urban development national policy’. On 5 October, two dialogues, Dialogue on National and Local Housing Improvement Policies, in Kairos and Inter-local Forum of the Youth Violence Prevention Platform at the Familia Ayara Foundation Hill were held. The partners included Planning National Department (DNP), Habitat Secretary of Bogota and Decent Housing Alliance (NGOs) and Government Secretary of Bogota’s Mayor and Urban Youth Platform. The University in Bogotá organised a students’ workshop to commemorate World Habitat Day. The workshop lasted for three days (30 Sept, 1 and 4 October) and it aimed at creating a space for students, organized by groups, to answer one of six questions around how cities use public spaces, our identity as urban dwellers, the meaning of wealth, the use of free time and consumptions patterns.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
The University of Colombia in Antioquia hosted the Habitat month. Activities included lectures and an international workshop. The American Biennial of Architecture and Urban Planning event was also hosted at the University. The School of Habitat, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellin Branch, celebrated World Habitat Day by organizing a Seminar on Sustainable Habitat. This has been a tradition since 2008. In that year, there was the presentation of six books produced by the
Masters Programme in Habitat students who had a “meritory” distinction in their thesis, and by three of the School’s proffessors presenting published research results. These activities were linked to the OPEN CITY event of Medellin city government, which also makes part of the International Architecture Biennale. The central event of this week were the dissertations of Dr. Roberto Fernandez of Universidad de la Plata in Argentina
Cuba Provincial governments of La Habana, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Holguín and Bayamo organized a workshop on “Developing Better Cities” in the five provinces. This activity also supports the 100 cities initiative, and was held on 29 – 30 September. There was a National promotion of the World Habitat Day in Cuba by the Habitat National Committee from 4 September to 4 October. The promotion was done through mass media, radio and TV, with a focus on Local Agenda 21 teams. On 4 October the People’s National Assembly, local governments, Habitat National Committee Ministries and Institutions linked to Habitat issues, International Agencies of Cooperation and NGOs in Cuba celebrated the day. On 7 October the WHO Collaborative Center of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and members of the Healthy Shelter network organized an international seminar on Healthy Shelter at NIHE and the city of La Habana. On 1 September 2010 the World Habitat Day “Better Cities Better Life” National Contest was launched. This involved children and youth from the educational system of Cuba and communitarian projects. The contest is about how citizens can contribute for a better city and a better life.
Dominican Republic
World Habitat Day celebrations at City Hall Toronto in Canada. © City of Toronto
Dominican Republic had two events for WHD celebrations. The first one took place on Saturday October 2 where 15 people from the national media volunteered their time and work on home repair in an urban slum named El Bagazo, located in Haina, near Santo Domingo. The event sought to build awareness among important media representatives.
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the Capital and disseminating message of the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT to relevant ministries, civil societies and public libraries. Consequently, to commemorate the day and raise public awareness banners bearing the theme were prepared and displayed in three main avenues of the capital city.
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Ethiopia Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia celebrated the day with two Global Village teams in the two affiliates Jima and Debre Markos.
Germany MyHabitat, graphic design for World Habitat Day in Kuala Lumpur © Nurul Aini Ramly
A second event named “Ecoart in my Community” was carried out by Habitat for Humanity in partnership with Centro León, an important cultural center of the Dominican Republic. This event sought to build awareness among community members about environmental protection of their own environment.
Ecuador UN-HABITAT office in Ecuador organised a cultural event to celebrate World Habitat Day. Activities included traditional dances among other activities.
Eritrea To use the 2010 World Habitat Day as opportunity to highlight key human settlement issues the UN-HABITAT Office in Eritrea called upon the Government of Eritrea to organize activities to raise awareness on urban safety and security under this year’s theme “Better City, Better Life”. The Ministry of Public Works of the Government of Eritrea, the focal Ministry to UN-HABITAT, agreed to the proposal of putting banners in the main avenues of
The University of Leipzig organized a half-day poster exhibition on the World Habitat Day and the important theme Better City, Better Life, at the Institute of Geography.
Ghana On 4 October the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development celebrated World Habitat Day in Kumasi. The national forum brought together various stakeholders including government ministers as well as NGO and UN representatives. Target audience included disadvantaged slum residents and other stakeholders drawn from various sectors of the community. Activities included Essay and Debate Competitions for selected Secondary Schools, visit to Slum community, Urban Development Project Sites, Talk Shop/ Seminar, exhibitions and awards. Action for Community Development (AFCODEV) celebrated World Habitat Day in Tamale region in Ghana. As a preparation towards World Habitat Day celebration, Habitat for Humanity Ghana featured a workshop focusing
on institutional arrangements in urban governance. The development of Habitat for Humanity projects in the Ghana; exhibits detailing Ghana’s overall growth plan and speech by CEO by Habitat for humanity were also held. Habitat for Humanity Ghana also adopted the Habitat for Humanity International’s question theme of “What will you build” to draw signatures in Ghana as a basis to engage the government in a dialogue on coming up with a finalized housing policy. Awareness on Urban Housing Situation: Mr Agyeman’s award winning Journalist of the year with documentary entitled: “Shelter in the City”, which focused on the plight of female head potters (popularly known as ‘Kayayei’), who sleep in the night in front of stores, supermarkets, in uncompleted buildings and other unsecured structures at the mercy of the weather used this piece to highlight issues of human settlements in the country and urban housing situation in Ghana. It was shown during the Word Urban Forum 5 event. Housing the Masses, an NGO which is helping the Low-Income Housing/ Community Development Project in Yendi in collaboration UN-HABITAT and UNDP, Slum Inventory Pilot project and others held a post- World Habitat Day event that involved the construction and launch of a model house for Low-Income Housing/ Community. In event hosted by the College of Architecture and Planning of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), participants at a round table discussion to mark the 2010 World Habitat Day called for the development of an Urban Policy to promote effective and efficient planning in urban areas in the country. They said the increase in illegal settlements,
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
especially in the urban areas, could derail the focus of the nation to achieving the Millennium Development Goals as such developments had health, economic, social and environmental negative implications. The participants, who included land economists, architects, city engineers, planners and development agencies, called for a deeper consultation among stakeholders to address the springing up of slums and other illegal structures in the urban areas. They attributed this to poor lay-outs, bad planning schemes and lukewarm attitude to enforcing building and other construction regulations The United Force for Development (UFFD), a youth led organization based in the Northern region of Ghana held a stakeholders forum for the Local Assembly men and women to mark the World
Habitat day on the theme: Better City, Better Life. A survey UFFD carried in the metropolis showed that out of five houses there are two trees in between the houses and that this was as a result of cutting of the trees for construction without replanting and this posed a lot of threat to the communities and to the development of the North. There was a football match between the Local Assembly and the youth to celebrate the day and the occasion was also used in sending messages on the need for people to be friendly to their environment. The event was organized in Tamale.
Haiti Réseau Haïtien d’Habitat Salubre and United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) on the occasion of World Habitat Day 2010 organized a
World Habitat Day celebrations in Ecuador © UN-HABITAT Ecuador
talk about reconstruction, at the Hotel Le Plaza, Port-au-Prince, on Monday, October 4, 2010, from 10:00 am to noon, in the presence of several government ministers. This activity was marked by three presentations entitled “Where goes Port-au-Prince? Between the dream and reality”, “The reconstruction of the districts with the communities” and “Reconstruction for whom and by whom”. There were also animated exchanges following these talks. UN-HABITAT, the Réseau Haïtien d’Habitat Salubre and the UNFPA presented to the general public and participants in particular a number of initiatives and activities related to postearthquake reconstruction and that would rebuild better cities and neighborhoods to improve the living conditions of the population.
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World Habitat Day celebrations in Burkina Faso.
India The University of Madras and Centre for Development Finance affiliated to IFMR organized the inaugural session of the World Habitat Day, graced by, Minister for Information and Urban Development Parithi Illamvazhuthi. The Minister spoke about the need to implement policies more effectively and usher in more transparency in the processes. G. Thiruvasagam, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras stressed the need to involve the society, especially youngsters in improving living conditions in cities. British Deputy High Commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis talked about the need to embark on a path to sustainable development by addressing concerns such as climate change and rapid urbanisation. Citing the event as an opportunity to reflect on the condition of our cities, P.M. Belliappa said that it was time to remind ourselves of the collective responsibility to improve our habitat. He highlighted the importance of involving the community in preserving cultural artefacts and the monuments that served as historical
reminiscences. At the function, www. Transparentchennai.com, an interactive website that provides useful information about the city was launched. Apart from details of major projects like flyovers and buildings, slums, bus routes, public toilets, the website has the contact details of elected representatives. Citizens interested in mapping their own information will be provided guidance, feedback and resources, said Nithya Raman, project head, Transparent Chennai. “The initiative will enable the citizens to understand the city better, know where things went wrong, seek accountability,” she added. National Housing Bank has been celebrating World Habitat Day as an annual event through the conduct of various activities including essay Competition, release of booklet containing award winning essays from previous years, a “Habitainment Quiz”, which are all conducted around the theme of the World Habitat Day. As a part of the World Habitat Day celebrations in 2010, the National Housing Bank in
collaboration with the India Habitat Centre, organised a fun-filled event called “Habitainment Quiz 2010” for the institutional and individual members of the India Habitat Centre. The idea behind the event is to raise awareness on the significance of “World Habitat Day” and to provide an opportunity to the employees and members of India Habitat Centre to bond in a fun-filled and informative event. The event brought together the employees of various institutions working within the India Habitat Centre including its individual members. The event witnessed participation from over 100 teams from amongst the various institutional and individual members. The various institutions which participated in the event included teams from NHB, TERI, HUDCO, CDC, National Foundation for India (NFI), IHC, Indian Oil Corp, OWH and some Individual Members of the India Habitat Centre. The qualifying round was held at the Amphitheatre of the India Habitat Centre followed by the Quiz Finale. The winners of the “Better City, Better Life” contest were awarded attractive prizes by Mr. R. V. Verma. The first prize of this contest which carried a cash prize of 2000 rupees along with an attractive bag was awarded to Siva Kishan of TERI, whose vision was “the source of all life is balance” along with a sketch depicting nature and city life. The second prize which included a cash prize of 1000 rupees along with an attractive bag was awarded to Ashwini Choudhary of JNU, Delhi who envisioned that a “Better City, Better Life is in the lap of nature” and drew a beautiful sketch to highlight the same. The third prize which carried an award of 500 and an attractive bag was awarded to Srisha and Papia from CAPART whose vision was “Save yourself, save the world. Be green, think green”. Their sketch depicted the need to employ environment friendly practices
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
in day to day life. The quiz ended with the organizers and the participants proceeding for High Tea. Architectural Engineering Division of The Institution of Engineers, West Bengal State Centre, India organized an all India Seminar on “Better City, Better Life” on 4th and 5th October, 2010 at Kolkata, India. Mayor Shovan Chatterjee of the city of Kolkata is the Chief Patron of the event. The sub themes of the seminar are Better Environment, Better Transportation, Better Administration, Better Safety, Better Culture, Better Water & Sanitation, and Better Development Planning.
Delhi State Centre of The Institution of Engineers (India) organized World Habitat Day-2010 on the topic ‘Better City, Better Life’. Shri Ashok Khurana, Engineer Member, Delhi Development Authority was the Chief Guest and he delivered the key-note address. On this occasion Shri D S Sachdev, Former Director General (Works), CPWD and Advisor, Public Works Department, GNCTD graced the occasion as Guest-of-Honour. Welcoming the audience Prof. D.S. Varma, Chairman, Delhi State Centre said World Habitat Day provides an annual opportunity to reflect
Bridge to India organized a World Habitat Day event with decision makers and activists who are working in the field of urban planning, mobility, sustainability and energy supply in the megacity of Delhi. The forum discussed further ways of acting towards a sustainable future of mega urban cities like Delhi.
Green-Sons celebrated World Habitat Day celebrations in Dimapur on 4 October. The event was held at the Imliyanger Memorial Centre. The Chairman of Green-Sons, T. Murry urged students who attended the programme to spread awareness among their friends. “Reach out to fellows to take part in such campaigns so that our efforts are beneficial for all,” he advised. The programme was graced by chairman of Nagaland Pollution Control Board, A Rongsenwati as chief guest.
Centre for Urban Studies, AMR – APARD, celebrated the World Habitat Day on 4th October in the pearl city of Hyderabad. Various competitions were conducted for the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Campus and School of Planning and Architecture of Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad. Nearly 450 students participated in these competitions which included 1) Poster Design depicting a city, 2) Painting, 3) Elocution and 4) Essay writing. On 4th October Prof.P. Padmavathi, addressed the main function. Costford organized a World Habitat Day event on 4 October in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, India. Among the invited guests was the poet Sugathakumari.
on how we can make our towns and cities better places for all. Delivering the keynote address, Shri Khurana mentioned that there are 291 slum clusters with about 1,600,000 families on DDA land. Allotment of plots was done in past to eligible squatters where the encroached lands is urgently required by DDA. There are several problems to relocate strategies like - Socio-economic linkages are broken; Service providers to the catchment area are uprooted; Direct affect on lively-hood of dwellers; Transfer re-encroachment of public land. About 30% of slum dwellers are ineligible for resettlement - no mechanism to send them back from the city and it leads to further encroachment on public land. Shri D S Sachdev Stressed on the strategic steps on how to improve the city including improving the quality of life; investing in human capital; fostering sustained economic opportunities and enhancing political inclusion as well as promoting cultural inclusion.
World Habitat Day Community Mural depicting “My Ideal Neighbourhood” painted by children on World Habitat Day 2010 in Canada © Habitat for Humanity Canada
The Department of planning, School of Architecture and Planning Anna University Chennai in association with the Centre for Technology Development Transfer, Anna University, Chennai and the Indian Institute of Architects, Tamil Nadu Chapter organized an essay Competition for Architecture and Planning Students dubbed “Building Better Cities-Way Out”. The inaugural function was attended by
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100 students of Architecture and Planning for SAP Campus and Professional town planners and architects, academic and non teaching staff from the University.
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The Krityandand UNESCO Club of Jamshedpur in India lined up various activities to mark World Habitat Day. They included a conference on 4 October 2010, on the theme “Ensure our Natural Environment”. The club also organised a field visit m on the theme how the industries are damaging our natural forest and misusing the local river water. The events were held at the Krityandand UNESCO Club in Jamshedpur. The Government of Rajasthan in India celebrated World Habitat Day in Jaipur on October 4. The planned events included a seminar, an exhibition and street plays. The co-organisers included IHCN-F. The Government of India organized a national World Habitat Day celebration in Delhi. The Government of Andhra Pradesh organized a local awareness raising event on 4 October in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The event involved other organisations to take up activities on the proposed theme Better City, Better Life. The Osmania Medical College marked World Habitat Day with a roundtable discussion on the theme Better City, Better Life at Seminar Hall, Osmania Medical College, Koti, Andhra Pradesh. The Gujarat State Centre of the Institution of Engineers organized activities to celebrate the World Habitat Day. The City Managers Association Orissa organized an awareness programme on Urban Issues under the theme Better City, Better Life to raise awareness amongst the people living in cities in Orissa. The
Randolph-Macon College sophomore Brooke Templeton in virgina,USA makes a sign in front of houses made of corrugated paper board on campus to raise funds and awareness for World Habitat Day, October 4, 2010. © JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH
initiative involved the participation of Urban Planners, Mayors, Engineers, and academics among other professions. Habitat for Humanity India invited the public to the “Fun ‘n Fundraiser” at High Street Phoenix Mall, Mumbai, from 29 September to 3 October. The five-day event culminated with celebrations on the eve of World Habitat Day. Shopper were inivited to donate toward the purchase of bricks, roof tiles, windows or door to build a model house. The Urban Planning and Design at Groupe SCE India, as part of the World Habitat Day, conducted a locality based design exhibition to demonstrate the principles of sustainable urban design for strong neighbourhoods, in Bangalore. The Institute for Regional Development Studies at Kanpur held an expert group forum for spreading the message of World Habitat Day and also to discuss various
problems related to development of urban settlements. The participants were university level scholars, faculty members of technological institutions, planners, architects and other social workers. The Institution of Engineers Jammu celebrated World Habitat Day in its premises in Jammu, India. The Local Governance Network in Bhubaneswar organized a round table workshop to raise awareness amongst the cities, with a focus on Climate Change, Good Governance, Heritage & Culture and Urban Mobility. The activities included a Photo Exhibition focusing on the Better City, Better Life. The Center for Housing and Urbanization hosted the first ‘South India Green’ conference in Chennai. The conference created and sustained a dialogue for sustainable development in India.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
The Faculty of Architecture, Integral University, Lucknow organized a World Habitat Day quiz, poster and collage making competition on a topic related to this year’s theme, Better City, Better Life on 1 October, and the prizes given on 4 October. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in India organized an event where Kumari Selja, Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and the Minister of Tourism delivered the World Habitat Day address on the occasion. Secretaries in the States / UTs dealing with Housing and Human Settlement, Mayors / Municipal Commissioners of 63 Mission Cities and other Dignitaries attended the celebrations
Nagaland state joined the rest of the world in observing World Habitat Day, under the theme ‘Better City, Better Life’ at Chaü Parking with minister for urban development and Higher and Technical Education Mr. Shürhozelie Liezietsü gracing the occasion as the chief guest. Speaking at the occasion, the Minister called for greater and concerted efforts to sustain and develop the ‘symbiotic
The BMS College of Engineering Auditorium celebrated World Habitat Day in Bangalore India. Dr. A Ravindra, advisor to the chief minister on urban affairs, called for a halt to free parking facilities in most parts of the city. He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Better City, Better Life’, organised on the occasion of World Habitat Day by architecture students of BMS College of Engineering. Panelists at the event included Ragini Narayan, trustee of BMS Education Trust; Vijay Gore, former additional chief secretary and Dr Eswaran Subrahmanian, chief scientist of CSTEP who spoke on how to build cities under the guidelines of the UN. Ravindra said that he had suggested the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to stop offering individual sites in the new layouts. Ravindra stressed the need to renovate old areas to protect heritage structures.
Gold prize winning entry for the World Habitat Day painting competition in Japan © UN-HABITAT Fukuoka
relationship’ of men and space, men and the land he lives in. As part of the day’s programme, 25 buses under the initiative, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) of the ministry of urban development were added. Winners of an essay competition were awarded prizes on this occasion.
Indonesia A series of seminars and discussions were organized around the theme Better City, Better Life. On September 30 the Ministry of Housing held a seminar on ‘Better City, Better Life - creating a humane and sustainable city’, inviting mayors from three cities that ranked highest in the Indonesian Association of Planner’s (IAP) survey of Most Liveable CIties in Indonesia: Yogyakarta, Manado and Palembang. On October 19-20, the Directorate General of Spatial Planning, Ministry of Public Works, IAP, the French Government and UN-HABITAT organized a seminar on “South East Asia Metropolises and Urbanisation: Challenges and Tools in the Context of Climate Change”. The seminar brought together planners, researchers and local governments to discuss climate change and create a network that is more responsive towards climate change and participate in 100 cities initiatives. The Directorate General of Human Settlements, Ministry of Public Works held a seminar on ‘Building Collective Responsiblity for a Quality City’ on October 26 and another seminar on ‘Creating Better Buildings and Spaces for Better Life’ on October 28. The Ministry of Public Works hosted the Sanitation Jamboree for middle-high school students and 3-R communities from October 12-27. The National Habitat Secretariat and the Institute of Technology hosted the Youth Urban Forum and invited university students to discuss urban issues and the role of youth in sustainable urbanization. A media campaign to promote World Habitat Day and increase the public awareness on urban issues was aired on national radio, TV stations and newspapers/ magazines through-out October. Also on 4 October the Ministry of Housing held a press conference to explain about this year’s theme and
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activities, and launch a photo exhibition on urban issues and paintings of children’s drawing competition. The highlight of the celebration was on October 18. The Minister for Housing, Suharso Monoarfa launched two books on housing and urban development in Indonesia. A bicycle tour was held where cyclists toured the main street of Jalan Jendral Sudirman and distribute promotional material on WHD to the public. Further information World Habitat Day activities in Indonesia can be accessed at www.habitat-indonesia.or.id
Iran The Environment and Sustainable Development Office (ESDO) of Tehran Municipality celebrated World Habitat Day under the title of “Electronic Cities on the road to Better City, Better Life”. The ESDO held its program under two categories: 1. Conference and Specialized Panels focusing on “Electronic Cities on the road to Better City, Better Life”; 3 0ctober 2010, and 2. Festival of “Better City, Better Life” for youth and children; 11-12 October 2010.
Iraq The Ministry of Construction and Housing launched its National Housing Policy on World Habitat Day 2010. The Policy outlines Iraq’s housing need, how the policy aims to respond to it, and the process of arriving at the policy. The UNHABITAT Iraq Program is confident that this policy sets Iraq on course to begin to address its demands in the housing sector. The policy was built on thorough analysis of key thematic areas surrounding the housing sector; access to land, access to finance, housing production, building materials, infrastructure, housing management and maintenance and informal settlements, and has been
developed through multi-stakeholder debates and working groups, supported by national and global experts over an 18-month period.
Israel The Association of Environmental Justice in Israel (AEJI) issued a special report about the Arab towns in Israel, depicting the Socio-Environmental Profile of the Arab towns in central Israel. The report was issued at a public event, in October, with participation of the local inhabitants and decision makers, including member of the parliament.
Italy Confederazione Italiana Sindati Lavoratori (CISL) Taranto celebrated World Habitat Day through an initiative developed in partnership with the Province and the CISL national, at the Enterprise Hall, Taranto. Invited guests included Mr. Julius Colecchi, General Secretary of CISL; Daniela Fumarola, General Secretary of CISL Taranto; Prof. Luigi Fusco Girard of the University of Naples and Dr. Salvatore Pisconti, Prof. Francis Marcaletti, Faculty of Sociology, Catholic University of St. Heart of Milan, Prof. Frederick Pirro, University of Bari, and an expert in economics and industrial history, Dr. John Florida, President of the Province of Taranto. Oasi Zegna, an environmental improvement project by Zegna Group started in 1993, celebrated the World Habitat Day with outdoor educational activities for children. Having the education of the future generations as its main objective, Oasi Zegna proposes during the whole year, several educational activities, including celebrations on the occasion of some important anniversaries concerning
environment. In 2010 Oasi Zegna is partner of 2010 IYB, corporate partner of Billion Tree Campaign and celebrated International Day for Biological Diversity and World Environment Day.
Jamaica The Nationwide News Network organized World Habitat Day awareness raising events in Kingston.
Japan UN-HABITAT Fukuoka organised a Children’s Drawing Contest to celebrate World Habitat Day.
Jordan Habitat for Humanity Jordan incorporated World Habitat Day celebrations into a function surrounding a Global Village team visiting the Al Taybeh community in the north of Jordan from 7 October.
Kenya The national observance was held at Afraha Stadium, in Nakuru. The Chief Guest was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, Mr. Musalia Mudavadi, other guests were the Minister for Housing, Mr. Soita Shitanda, Members of Parliament from the Nakuru region, other top government officials, the representative of the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to United Nations Office in Nairobi, and local leaders. At the UN-HABITAT headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, World Habitat Day was observed by UN-HABITAT’ and other UN agencies’ staff members based in Nairobi. The event reminded staff of the goal of World Habitat Day, which is to reflect on the state of towns and cities and the
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basic right of all, to adequate shelter and to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. There was a World Habitat Day themed skit and a musical performance by the Billian Music family from Mathare informal settlements. Other performances included traditional dances by Pillars of Kibera youth group, and a narrative on HIV Aids showing how a healthy city promotes better life. There were also speeches by UN-HABITAT senior staff, and an exhibition which was also the highlight of the celebration. KASWESHA organized pre- World Habitat Day STAND-UP & TAKE Action event to take place ahead of the World Habitat Day celebrations on 4 October. The activities took place in the Nairobi Eastlands area and Kariobangi South Estate. Kilele Foundation organized World Habitat Day celebrations in Kenya.
Korea Habitat for Humanity Korea held World Habitat Day events in Seoul Plaza. The events were to advocate the fundamental human right to adequate shelter. The activities included among others, building a moving house, an extraordinary fashion show featuring hard hats, white shirts and jeans. “We at Habitat for Humanity hope that everyone who is concerned about decent housing joins a World Habitat Day activity to stand with others who want to make adequate housing a priority, to help build strong and healthy families and communities,” said Peter Gape, Habitat’s director of regional programs, AsiaPacific. In the virtual realm, an online T-shirt design competition on the theme “Hard Hats for Habitat” was launched on World Habitat Day. Habitat supporters across the Asia-Pacific were invited to design a
Korean volunteers build a Habitat for Humanity house on World Habitat Day © Habitat for Humanity, South Korea
T-shirt which declares to their friends and the wider community that they want to help someone in need of decent shelter to have a better home. The T-shirt with the most number of votes will be produced by Habitat for Humanity to help raise awareness, support and funds for the mission. The winner also received several of such limited-edition T-shirts to give away to friends and family.
Kosovo World Habitat Day was celebrated in Kosovo’s historic city of Prizren. On this occasion UN-HABITAT was joined in organizing the event by the Prizren Municipality and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The award granting ceremony took place in the Municipal Hall of Prizren Municipality. Present to mark the day were representatives from the local authority, UN-HABITAT’s Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme and OSCE, as well as the pupils who had taken part in the essay-writing competition, the media, and representatives of other international organizations. The event began with courtesy speeches by the organizers, who highlighted issues and problems concerning the life in urban areas in the 21st century. The focus was also on the need to develop smarter, innovative and inclusive approaches to address challenges of urbanization. All pupils were awarded a certificate for participation in the competition and had an opportunity to read their essays to the audience gathered in the Prizren’s Town Hall. This led to an interactive debate, and pupils were able to put questions directly to municipal authorities in relation to the municipal vision concerns, plans and obstacles to local projects, and different urban issues. The essays covered a range of global issues such as: global warming,
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greenhouse effect, lack of public urban transport, social housing, protection of cultural heritage, alternative energy sources, economic development and many other contemporary issues of concern worldwide.
Kuwait Arab Towns Organisation in cooperation with UN-HABITAT Kuwait celebrated World Habitat Day in October by organising its 15th General Assembly in Kuwait in which there were four focus areas: Cities and Environment, Cities and Youth Knowledge, Cities and Heritage, Cities and Information Technology. The Assembly was inaugurated by his highness the Prince of Kuwait and was attended by 400 mayors from Arab towns. The conference addressed the above issues within this year’s theme Better City, Better Life.
Architecture for Health In Vulnerable Environments (ARCHIVE) gave talks to students at Imperial College London about housing on the occasion of World Habitat Day in the United Kingdom. © ARCHIVE
Lesotho The celebrations in Lesotho were spearheaded by a partnership of Habitat for Humanity (Lesotho), World Vision and UN-HABITAT and featured a service event on October 9, 2010. HFH Lesotho mobilized over 200 volunteers to help vulnerable families renovate their homes in the Nazareth area. At the celebration, HFH Lesotho officially “handed over” more than 150 Habitat homes to orphan-headed and vulnerable families. Volunteers and HFH Lesotho staff worked hand-in-hand to refurbish six Habitat homes. Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) currently reside in these homes and were present to partake in the day of community service. Renovation activities included: painting, plastering, gardening, tree planting, and other activities. The event was graced by the presence of the Minister of Natural Resources, Monyane Moleleki and heads of diplomatic missions in Lesotho. Speaking at the event,
Minister Moleleki thanked Habitat for Humanity - Lesotho and its partners for having constructed a total of 75 houses for orphaned children and needy households in Nazareth. Other activities marking the day included plastering and painting houses as well as gardening and tree planting.
Liberia The national World Habitat Day celebration in Liberia was observed at the Municipal Town Hall of Paynesville City in an effort to increase the level of sensitization and awareness about UN-HABITAT normative and operational activities in Liberia. Participants included local authorities, citizens, residents and students of the city as well as a cross section of the leadership and members of both the Slum Dwellers Association of Liberia and the Women Land Access
Trust of Liberia. Apart from the formal readings of the Secretary General’s and the Executive Director’s messages, the Key note speaker, Amadou Kiawu, Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs reflected on the progress Liberia had made over the years since UN-HABITAT was founded and urged the participants to take the message of the need for the development of sustainable human settlements in Liberia. The first meeting between the Slum Dwellers Association and the Women Land Access Trust took place in an effort to the chart the way forward in addressing challenges inhabitants in the various slum communities face including the problems of access and security of tenure. Additionally, the Proclamation of the President of Liberia read in the print and electronic media in observance of the day called on all public and private entities including individuals
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to undertake initiatives befitting the day and declared the day a working holiday. On the heels of the observance of WHD, the Land Commission with support from UN-HABITAT and the Norwegian Refugee Committee held a National Urban Conference at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex from 6 -8 October under the theme: Managing the Urban Interface, Strategies and tools for sustainable urban land administration, management and development. Among the many resolutions adopted by the participants at the Conference was that the Land Commission holds an annual urban forum. The Global Foundation for Human Rights held week-long outreach activities in observance of the World Habitat Day. Activities started on 30 September to 4 October and included an exhibition of arts & craft, street parade and indoor program. There were also radio and TV talk shows and radio jingles on the theme, Descent looks for our Cities& Towns in Post-War Liberia. Activities included a football tournament & essay competition among four high schools, culture, arts & craft exhibition, street parade and indoor program.
Malaysia The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) Malaysia organised a programme called Habitat Moment to mark the World Habitat Day in which selected student representatives from over 2,000 secondary schools nationwide read out the speech by the Hon. Minister on the theme “Better City, Better Life”, during the respective schools’ weekly assembly. This program run throughout Malaysia with the hope to create awareness among the young generation. MHLG also organised a Problem Analysis Competition where secondary school students were given a scenario of the future and were required
to apply critical thinking in finding a viable solution to the problem posed. The presentation of the solution was made via multimedia. For a second year in a row, MHLG published its 2nd Edition of Habitat Magazine and held a Photojournalism Competition with the prime focus of creating awareness on issues pertaining to human settlements in Malaysia and the interrelationship between physical development, landscape and people. To enhance Malaysian gastronomic tourism sector in its cities, MHLG organised a Food Safety Seminar to elevate the knowledge of participants on legislations related to food safety, provide exposure on issues related to food safety in Malaysia and disseminate the latest research outcomes on food safety. The National Housing Department held the Management of People’s Housing Programme (PHP) Competition to monitor the effectiveness of the Kuala Lumpur PHP resident association’s management in creating a harmonious and unified community. PHPs were judged mainly on the management of resident associations, activities and programmes organized by the associations, management and maintenance of building and infrastructure, and participation and achievement awards. A team of international and local volunteers from Habitat For Humanity Malaysia spent three to four weeks repairing six dilapidated hardcore poor houses in Beaufort, Sabah; Tanjung Malim, Perak and Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Two prominent private housing developers namely IJM Land Corporation and Emkay Foundation also contributed in the repairs of two additional houses for this project in the states of Negeri Sembilan and Perak as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
Malawi World Habitat Day in Malawi was commemorated in the northern border town of Karonga on 4 October. It was presided over by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development John Bande. The day was marked by traditional dances, drama, exhibitions and speeches by the District Commissioner, a traditional chief, the Member of Parliament, UNHABITAT representative and the Minister. The day was also marked by a tour of the town to appreciate the rebuilding efforts and the urban planning and development challenges the town is facing. On the eve of the day a public debate on the theme was broadcast live on Zodiak Broadcasting Station from Karonga Teachers’ Training College. In the two weeks leading up to the day, Chief Executives of all the cities held a press conference at which they explained the work of the city councils and the challenges they face in building better cities and better lives for all who live and work in them. The events were organized by the Malawi Government in partnership with UN-HABITAT and many others including city councils, statutory corporations, NGOs and civil society.
Mongolia Habitat for Humanity Mongolia celebrated World Habitat Day with the dedication of 52 houses in Ulaanbaatar, Khangai, Erdenet and Darkhan. The Habitat team in Ulaanbaatar said “thank you” to students from a local technical college who volunteered at the recent Blue Sky international blitz build. The Khangai program team highlighted the need for decent housing among local NGOs, churches, the media, governors and government representatives. The Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) celebrated the
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World Habitat Day in Tehran © ESDO, Tehran Municipality
World Habitat Day in three areas: 1. In Uvurkhangai province, the Community Saving Groups (CSG) and Community Development Fund (CDF) had essay competitions and paintings, exhibition between local people. The theme was “My ger and my street”, and was held on 2nd of October, 2010. 2. In Khan-Uul district, 5th khoroo, in Ulaanbaatar, CSGs held an opening ceremony of a “Senior’s park”, on the 1st of October. This event involved people from the grassroots, CSGs members, and representatives from the Municipality and media. 3. In Darkhan city, CSGs had a debate on the housing issue and how to improve their lives, houses, streets and so on.
Mozambique In a bid to raise awareness about disaster mitigation and awareness, the UNHABITAT team in Maputo, Mozambique, held a special World Habitat Day event with the country’s National Institute for Disaster Management in the very
zone where floods brought on by heavy rains have struck in recent years with devastating impact. Mutarara village is concealed between a low level area where two major rivers meet, namely the Zambezi River in the southwest and the Chire in the northeast limit. As heavy rains and discharges from the Cahora Bassa dam upstream the Zambezi are expected, people are working hard to ensure that they have an elevated place of refugee while they wait for expected flood waters to subside. The platform, which once finished will house 3 classrooms in its top, is part of a strategy advocated by UN-HABITAT through its governmental partner INGC - the National Institute for Disasters Management of Mozambique - aiming to assist communities in living with floods. Even in remote areas, people are being taught how to change their attitude, their city or their village, striving for a better life.
The Urban Development and Building Construction Department, in Kathmandu celebrated World Habitat Day on 4 October by organising various programmes. The Urban Development and Building Construction Department organised a function where participants said that increase in migration and lack of education, health, drinking water and sanitation facilities have affected normal life. On the occasion, the State Minister for Physical Planning and Work Sanjaya Kumar Saha said political instability was the main reason of unorganised settlement. Assistant Minister for Physical Planning and Work Kalawati Paswan stressed for increasing awareness about the day among rural folks. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works has been celebrating the Day in cooperation with other government and non-government organization working in the sector after the United Nations designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day since 1995. During Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s Everest Build, about 700 international and Nepali volunteers were invited to display their national flags and declare that they are committed to the mission of elimination of poverty housing. The government and local UN-HABITAT representatives participated. Nepal International Consumers Union observed World Habitat Day through radio programs, workshops amongst local community and print media. They also supplied free drinking water to schools on 5 October.
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The Nepalese people have built homes for 7,500 families, and in the month of October, 40 bamboo houses were built in Lekhnath municipality. Nepalis involved six volunteers sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.
New Zealand The University of Auckland organised a series of events on World Habitat Day and during the week that followed World Habitat Day. Activities included; A collaborative art project, A Home for all Cultures, a photography competition and exhibition, workshops on Composting and Gardening, a panel discussion on The future of Auckland’s public transport, seminars on Urbanisation and Health, and Sustainable Development Challenges, and a panel discussion on Shanghai World Expo 2010 - Better City, Better Life?
Nicaragua The National Dialogue for Access to Serviced Land and Property Rights organized a World Habitat Day event to promote the creation of a Permanent Forum for the Promotion of the Equitable Access to Suitable Housing. The event was organized by UN-HABITAT Nicaragua at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Managua. The city of Managua held a World Habitat Day activity at the Holiday Inn, Mombacho Salon where a Declaration for a Sustainable Habitat was signed by Habitat Professionals Consultative Group in Nicaragua. The Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua joined in on the celebrations and inaugurated the itinerant photographic exhibition, rewarding the best exponents on the topics: A better city for a better life; and housing and health.
The School of Architecture, Universidad Católica ‘Redemptoris Mater’organized a “Congress for a Better World” to discuss various topics on environment protection. The event was held at the Barcelo Montelimar Hotel in Montelimar Beach.
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Movimiento Comunal Nicaragüense in Nicaragua mobilized the community to celebrate the World Habitat Day on ‘Building Cooperative Housing under the Law 677’ by the National Government of Nicaragua. The event was on 2 October at the Tiscapa Park. The Centro de Estudios y Promoción del Habitar-HABITAR organized the Habitat Fair and Inauguration of the Environmental Risk Mitigation Works. The initiative spread sustainable technologies to raise environmental standards in the popular neighborhoods of Managua and encourage public participation in the management of environmental risk. The event took place at the Neighborhood Lomas de Guadalupe- District 7 in Managua.
Nigeria The National Union of Tenants of Nigeria, in conjunction with the civil society organizations from all over Nigeria, commemorated this year’s World Habitat Day at the Conference Hall of Federal Government Secretariat, Port Harcourt, to highlight the scale of unlawful forced eviction of families and wanton destruction of people’s homes and lives by the Government of Rivers State. Invited to cover the occasion were local and international media. For more details about the event, send mail to: info.nutn@ yahoo.com Fusion Nigeria – Nassarawa Centre observed the World Habitat Day at St. Paul’s Catholic Church Hall, in Nassarawa
Children plan their cities - Thailand © LUSH
Community of Chikun LGA of Kaduna State Nigeria. Fusion Nigeria – Nassarawa Centre organized the event with the Support of the office of the Parish Priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Church Nassarawa. The event was aimed at; Bringing the people of Nassarawa community together to reflect on the development of Nassarawa town; Joining Nassarawa Community in the Global Celebration; Raising Social Capital to the deal with issues that affects the community; Setting up a sustainable network to continue to respond to issues affecting Nassarawa community. The event was organized under the theme “Better Nassarawa, Better life”. The Toris Schools organized a road walk to sensitize the community on the need to keep the community clean and to promote a healthy environment. This campaign actively involved the Toris School children
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Pakistan The Pakistan Wetlands Programme had World Habitat Day activities to commemorate the Day in Pakistan. The Pakistan Wetlands Programme objective is to conserve the globally important wetlands biodiversity in Pakistan while alleviating poverty. It is a progressive initiative of the Federal Ministry of Environment and is being implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan (WWF-P). It is funded by consortium of national and international donors including, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Embassy of Kingdom of Royal Netherlands (EKN) and WWFNetwork.
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Philippines World Habitat Day in Mexico © UN-HABITAT Mexico
who were guided to draw a master plan for a new city plan for Okearo community in Ogun State where the school is situated. The plan contained features like a better road layout, bridges, hospitals, call centres, park, sports centre, the city mall and much more. With support from the Architecture Students Association, Habitat UNEC planned an awareness raising programme in and around the University of Nigeria, Enugu Cmpus and in its Enugu State community, to celebrate the World Habitat Day and this year’s theme Better City Better Life. The programme advocated for sustainable urbanization. World Habitat Day was celebrated in Nigeria at the Community Primary School Auditorium in October
Occupied Palestinian Territory The Battir Village Council, with support of UN-HABITAT, organized a folklore festival in Battir Public Park under the theme “Better City, Better Life”. Battir lies at the heart of the West Bank and is part of the broader urban region stretching from Bethlehem over Jerusalem to Ramallah. Schools in Battir also held a drawing and writing competition. In East Jerusalem, a special session took place at the Rosary Sisters’s High School, In the Gaza Strip where a wide variety of housing actors, came together in a three-day workshop, organised jointly, by UN-HABITAT and the UN-HABITAT partner University of Westminster (London, UK), to develop innovative approaches to the reconstruction and development of the Gaza strip, focusing on ‘sustainable growth, greener houses and greener neighborhoods’.
The UN-HABITAT Country office in the Philippines celebrated World Habitat Day 2010 on October 4 at the UN Offices at RCBC Plaza in Makati City with partners from the urban sector. The main activity was the convening of the Human Settlements Committee co-chaired by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and UN-HABITAT to discuss 1) the ongoing on-site relocation project in the Hankins community in Pasay City which involved the construction of a medium-rise building for affected 120 families, 2) updates on the policy reforms advocated by the Philippine Urban Consortium and 3) partnerships for the Montalban Resettlement Project. Around 50 participants from the national and local governments, business sector, civil society, academe and urban poor sector participated in the forum. The Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club in Makati City marked the day through presentations and speeches on the World Habitat Day’s theme, Better City,
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remind us of those around the world who do not have sufficient housing.
Better Life. The initiative engaged the Toastmasters in a speech and discussion session on City Life in the Philippines, and in other parts of the world, and is aimed at advocating for a Better Life. The event was held in Makati City, Philippines on 14 October 2010.
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The Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) in the Philippines, through the North Luzon Operations Group participated through information dissemination campaigns during office flag ceremonies, with employers, developers, and other key partners in the housing finance industry, and other multimedia engagements.
Intermunicipal Service Waste Management of Greater Porto (LIPOR) organized presentations dubbed “Cidades Verdes” (Green Cities) on the World Habitat Day theme, Better City, Better Life. The speakers included Dr. Fernando Leite and Dr. Susana Abreu of Lipor.
Habitat for Humanity Philippines engaged and energized their volunteers to join the fight against poverty housing through various digital media avenues. In October, the theme Hard Hats for Habitat underpinned a series of activities including a social media blitz, a youth build, a bloggers’ build and a comprehensive media outreach exercise featuring print editorials, radio interviews, cinema and outdoor public service announcements.
Poland On 4 October, Arcadis, an int’l company that provides consultancy, design, engineering and management services in the fields of infrastructure, water, environment and buildings marked World Habitat Day by encouraging its employees to become involved with Shelter, ARCADIS’ partnership with UNHABITAT, consideration for the basic right all humans have to adequate shelter, and reflect on their collective responsibility towards the future of human habitat. In celebration of World Habitat Day, Mark DeMarta suggested that each office display a small tent in their lobby to
The Portuguese Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning held country-level activities to celebrate World Habitat Day.
Republic of Panama AVINA Foundation for Sustainable Development mobilized some of the communities and cities they work with in Latin America, in awareness-raising activities for World Habitat Day.
Russia UN-HABITAT Russia held a conference on the theme Better City, Better Life in Moscow with the participation of government officials, MPs, city planners, NGOs and international organizations. The conference was co-organised jointly with the Free Economic Society of the Russian Federation. A national workshop in the city of Tver brought together six women’s organizations to discuss activities aimed at the promotion of women’s safety in Russian cities. The following Russian cities were represented: Moscow, Tver, Pushchino, Dubna, Petrozavodsk and Cheliabinsk.
Sierra Leone The Human Rights Shelter Committee celebrated the World Habitat Day at the National Forum for Human Rights, 29B Big Water Loo Street, Freetown. Activities starting on 4 October 2010 marking the day have been divided into two- a national forum as well as regional forums in the four provinces of the country. The national forum brought together various stakeholders including government ministers as well as NGO and UN representatives. Target audience included disadvantaged slum residents and other stakeholders drawn from various sectors of the community. The Youth Partnership for Peace and Development Sierra Leone observed the World Habitat Day through the media and through consultative programmes. Media campaigns included a press conference/ media round table, radio/TV discussion and news paper publication in the local media and online forums, and a one day consultative forum, in collaboration with CSOs/NGOs in Freetown to raise their awareness on issues of urbanization and the essence of the World Habitat Day and to further encourage them to inculcate the theme of Better City Better Life into their organizations’ activities and to further reflect on the state of towns and cities and the basic right of all Sierra Leoneans to adequate shelter. The forum was intended to remind the national government of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.
Somalia UN-HABITAT had World Habitat Day celebrations in Somaliland, Hargeisa and Puntland, Garowe.
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A young Habitat supporter in Hong Kong assembling a model stilt house representing HFH China’s Tai O Restoration Project © Habitat for Humanity China
South Africa On 4 October 2010, UN-HABITAT in Pretoria, in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Pretoria, celebrated World Habitat Day in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements, the South African Institute of Civil Engineering (SAICE) and the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO). The theme of this year’s Day was “Better City, Better Life”. The event highlighted actions and policies that can improve the well-being for billions of people who live in slums and other sub-standard housing around the world. William Jiyane, Department of Human Settlements Chief Director opened the ceremony and welcomed the audience. After an introduction to World Habitat Day, he talked about the UN HABITAT Scroll of Honour and why it was introduced as well as some of the previous winners from South Africa. This was
followed by a music performance by the Thembisa Choir as well as the screening of the 8 Goals for Africa song. The song, by eight famous African artists, is part of an awareness and advocacy campaign developed by the United Nations System in South Africa on the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
population; and, working with other NGOs, governments, civil society and individuals from a kindred background in furthering the above objectives.
Habitable Human Settlements organized World Habitat Day events in South Africa. The activities are aimed at assisting governments and institutions with the delivery of social houses to the less privileged with the highest needs for shelter on the housing waiting list; enforcing the governments’ indigent policies; keeping a data base of indigent applicants; improving the quality of constructed houses, roads, sanitation, schools and health facilities by screening service providers, monitoring projects and offering certified quality assurance; helping place the homeless into government subsidised shelters and secure additional funding for such shelters from business, communities and international organizations; educating communities on environmental, social and economic well-being and encourage volunteerism; facilitation of the employment of local labour on the projects; replacing traditional rondavels with modern architectural rondavels with ventilation, lighting and easy to maintain; advocating universal design standards and close proximity to services and amenities; erecting new schools and rehabilitating the existing schools’ infrastructure in rural areas; ensuring that communities have access to clean water, sanitation, power and essential services; building hospitals or community health centres in response to their needs, and developing infrastructural solutions as identified by the communities; raise funds and build capacity to serve the homeless
The National Department of Human Settlements in South Africa hosted a national conference on World Habitat Day.
Habitat for Humanity South Africa had five-house builds on World Habitat Day in partnership with ArcelorMittal.
The Department of Town and Regional Planning, at University of Johannesburg, organized an event at the university on the occasion of World Habitat Day. The programme included a quiz programme on the context of cities in South Africa with themes like: visual round, thematic round, rapid fire round, and state of cities round among others. Residents took ownership of newly built houses as part of World Habitat Day celebrations, under the umbrella of the Alexandra Renewal Project in Alexandra.
South Korea Habitat for Humanity Korea hosted a special event at the city hall square in the country’s capital, Seoul. Twenty-five volunteers helped to build a house which would be moved later to Yangpyung city, about 45 km. east of Seoul, to be lived in by the Lee family. Among the volunteers was a special guest – In-Joo Park, senior presidential secretary for social integration. He said: “Habitat for Humanity is a place to take action to share and love.” About 1,000 visitors thronged HFH Korea’s event. Other programs included a fashion show which featured construction clothes or carpenters’ garb. The models comprised Habitat staff and volunteers as well as professional models. There was also a Photo Wall section
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of incorporating environmental consideration in their daily business activities. HDFC Bank Chairperson Siromi Wickramasinghe, CEO and General Manager Suresh Amerasekera, Deputy General Manager S. Dissanayaka, Assistant General Manager D.V. Pathirana, school children and Officers of UNHABIATAT office in Colombo participated in the walk Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka hosted its first Global Village volunteer team in four years. HFH Sri Lanka, partnering with the Stitch Movement, a local initiative to encourage youth volunteerism and activism in the country, organized a one-kilometer barefoot walk to remember those without adequate housing. New housing in Zimbabwe - World Habitat Day. © UN-HABITAT
where the public was encouraged to have photos taken of their creative responses to the question “What will you build?”. Responses ranged from “hope”, “better world”, “a world with abundant love” to “healthy family, happy home”. Some of the photos taken will be submitted to Habitat for Humanity’s online photo petition. HFH Korea collected about 450 petitions at the onsite advocacy drive and call to action.
Sri Lanka A National programme was launched for the World Habitat Day with the assistance of the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amnesties, National Housing Development Agency (NHDA), and the Condominium Management Authority. 100 housing projects were launched at a cost of Rs. 50 million under the “Nagamu Purawara” programme. NHDA also constructed and developed other urban and rural housing schemes in the north
eastern Provinces in celebration of the World Habitat Day. There were various workshops and conferences targeting school children and young audiences. Houses that have already been completed were handed over to their new owners from the beginning of the World Habitat Week, the 28th of September onwards. The events were held at the Fort Art Center in Battaramulla. Housing Development Finance Corporation Bank (HDFC) Bank held a walk to celebrate World Habitat Day. The objective was to develop awareness on the theme “Better City, Better Life” and the importance of protecting the environment among the general public. This was also contributing to the bank’s policy framework of promoting sustainable housing and living and to be actively involved in the Government’s effort of achieving the Millennium Development Goals on Environmental Sustainability, ensuring that every employee of HDFC understands the importance
The Condominium Management Authority, a government agency in Sri Lanka published their annual magazine for the World Habitat Day event in Sri Lanka. Women’s CO-OP in Sri Lanka celebrated the World Habitat Day in Colombo by focusing on implementing the Condominium Act of 1973. Women’s CO-OP is working for the rights for the dwellers of condominiums. The Co-op launched a programme to commemorate World Habitat Day in the housing scheme with the participation of Urban Development Authority, REEL Company, Community Development Council in the particular Scheme and other CDC leaders.
Spain World Habitat Day celebrations started in the framework of the Congress “Rehabilitation and Sustainability: the future is possible” www.rsf2010.org in collaboration with the Spanish Council of Technical Architecture, the Spanish Ministry for Housing and Metropolis. Discussion panels under the theme “Responsibilities and challenges of local
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World Habitat Day 2010 launching gimmick in Kuala Lumpur © MHLG Kuala Lumpur
governments in the sustainability of the urban planning” focusing in the Latin America and Mediterranean countries followed. At the same time, a series of events with the civil society took place at the Barcelona Maritime Museum, including the projection of the winner of the short-movies competition “Better City, Better Life”. For more information about World Habitat Day in Spain, please contact: urban.eu@vivienda.es In the following days, UN-HABITAT organized an exchange of experience on decentralization and municipal development in Latin America and the Mediterranean. The UN-HABITAT office also launched a short-film competition. Three films were shown during the observance of World Habitat Day in Barcelona on 4 October. More information is available at www.whdfilmcompetition. pbworks.com
The Professional Association of Technical Architects of Catalonia in Barcelona supported the organization of the World Habitat Day in several Mediterranean cities. The Barcelona Architects Association organized a congress in Barcelona from 4 to 6 October. The congress focuses on sustainable revitalization and it is sponsored by government bodies including the Ministry for Housing, the Province, the Region and the City Council.
Sudan The Human Rights Society organized year long awareness campaigns for the housing rights in Abyei Town.
Switzerland The World Business Council for Sustainable Development creates raises awareness of World Habitat Day through their WBCSD website, www.wbcsd.org.
In a colourful event in Dar es Salaam, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development addressed the public through his televised speech to mark the World Habitat Day. He started his speech by highlighting the importance of World Habitat Day with an emphasis that the government of Tanzania in collaboration with UNHABITAT in Tanzania is celebrating this very important event by highlighting the government plans toward human settlements and urban planning. He went further to state that the government has many programmes but there is also lack of professionals in the relevant areas and sometimes, a lack of proper supervision. The event was attended by various stakeholders from the media, MDA, NGOs, CBOs, Private sector, Microfinance Banks, National Housing Corporation, the Ministry of Infrastructure, UN and Real Estates companies. The Maarifa Youth Network in Mabibo, Dar es Salaam, organized a World Habitat Day event through public information campaigns and theatre to create awareness on the problems and issues facing people living in Tanzania. The planned activities included exhibitions, and discussions by policy makers including government officials, academicians, journalists and other professionals and community representatives. The immediate former Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, observed the World Habitat Day in her home town Muleba, in Tanzania by launching a youth group for decent homes and clean neighbourhoods.
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Thailand There was a succession of events across the country throughout October, involving over 11,000 people. It culminated with the main event on the 22nd of October, in Pathum Thani province, with a visit by the Prime Minister. The province has many cities undertaking city-wide upgrading, with the support of the Provincial Governor, who has made city-wide upgrading a policy. He has also linked with the Lands Department to facilitate the rules and regulations with regard to land and land allocation. LUSH, an initiative that promotes positive environmental and social change through affordable high-quality events, celebrated World Habitat Day in Bangkok through social and cultural events planned to provide shelter and helping alleviate the most urgent needs of the urban poor the city of Bangkok.
Habitat for Humanity programs held special builds in October. In Thailand, simultaneous builds in four locations – Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Pathum Thani and Ranong, coupled with media interviews in Bangkok, raised awareness of the issues of inadequate housing and call for volunteers to help build better homes to transform lives. Thailand had land reform as a key issue for its World Habitat Day celebrations, as the Baan Mankong slum upgrading project is now spreading to rural areas, requiring land surveys and mapping, so land is a very important issue with regard to housing in Thailand.
infrastructure, employment and safety together, organized an eventful and creative day and to create a link between the lives of the urban poor in Africa, Latin America and The Netherlands. The event at Podium 0950 Rotterdam was an interactive network meeting for which 60 people from different institutions, backgrounds, and walks of life are invited. The guests took a creative trip around the world and “visit” the three different identified neighborhoods created in three different rooms with three different ambiances, linked to a specific city. Three Hub Amsterdam members also participated in the event.
Togo The Netherlands The Netherlands Slum Dwellers Program and Cordaid Urban Matters, an organisation that brings existing initiatives and ideas on housing,
The Ministry of Planning and Housing planned World Habitat Day activities from 1 October to 7 October in Kara. Activities included open race, exhibitions, and speeches. SAID-Togo celebrated World Habitat Day in Lomé through drawing competitions, essay writing, media debates, and drawing competitions under the theme Better City, Better Life. The Essay writing competition was organized in collaboration with the English Club, University of Lomé. The media debate programme aimed to bring the citizens to reflect on the state of cities and on the fundamental right to decent housing. It was to draw the attention of citizens to their collective responsibilities for the future of the human habitat. The drawing competition engaged the students in primary schools and is intended to bring the students to think about their cities, the things they like, and those they do not like about their cities.
World Habitat Day in Colombia © UN-HABITAT Colombia
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Tunisia celebrated Arab and World Habitat Days under the themes “adequate housing to the environment, a right for all” and “a Better City, Better Life”. Tunisia published a declaration on this occasion highlighting the appropriateness of the subjects chosen to celebrate Arab and World Housing Day and the policy adopted by President Ben Ali which aims at consecrating comprehensive and sustainable development.
Vietnam UN-HABITAT Vietnam in co-operation with Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association (VUPDA) organized the conference “HANOI MILLENNIUM - City Past and Future”. It was also a realistic action to contribute for the 1000th Anniversary of Ha Noi. The workshop went through current challenges of Ha Noi and solutions to address those challenges. Then it came up with initiatives, concrete plan to draw the future of Hanoi, to make it become a better city. An exchange visit in Vinh was organized with groups from Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines joining in with local teams , from 1-4 October. The trip started with a visit of the savings groups activities in Danang, where there are 2000 savings groups, each very small, around 10 members. These savings groups are managed by the Women’s Union. The group visited the savings groups and shared ideas with the aim of eventually organizing a workshop on savings groups in the future. On the second day, the group went to the city of Vinh, where a formal event was held on the morning of the 3rd, with a site visit to and the inauguration of the Huu Nghi community’s housing project, with speeches from the community leader, and representatives
from the Ministry of Construction, the provincial People’s Committee, and ACHR. This project is one where the poor have been able to negotiate a lower standard of construction than legally required, allowing appropriate housing for the poor. This was followed by an afternoon discussion on the implementation of the peoples’ housing projects in Vietnam, allowing for international sharing of ideas amongst the participants.
Uganda World Habitat Day was celebrated in Entebbe and was graced by the Prime Minister of Uganda, Prof. Apollo Nsibambi, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Mayor of Entebbe among others. The events held included; opening of the show room for the CDS funded projects in Entebbe municipal council; launching of the Shelter Profile report for Uganda; exhibitions by the Central and Local governments, private sector, NGOs, financial institutions etc; Radio and TV live talk shows on the theme Better City, Better Life and a TV documentary on the state of urbanization in Uganda. Habitat for Humanity Uganda partnered with the Independent Publications Limited, a local but popular and widely read magazine in Uganda to publish an informative, educative pull-out highlighting the housing need in Uganda and the role played by key stakeholders in the provision of better housing. World Habitat Day was celebrated in Tororo Municipal Council. The event was graced by the Vice President of Uganda, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Mayor of Tororo among others. The events held included; Laying a foundation stone for the UN-HABITAT
funded (ERSO) slum upgrading project in Tororo Municipal Council; Launching of the Slum Upgrading Strategy for Uganda; Exhibitions by the Central and Local governments, private sector, NGOs, financial institutions etc; Radio and TV live talk shows on the theme Better City, Better Life and a TV documentary on the state of urbanization in Uganda. Youth Initiative for AIDS prevention (YIAPUganda) mobilized their communities in raising issues of sustainable urbanization in Uganda.
United Kingdom Amnesty International UK hosted a panel discussion and a short film about the impact of forced evictions with a special focus on Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria to mark World Habitat Day 2010. Over 200,000 people are currently facing eviction because the authorities plan to demolish more than 40 informal settlements in Port Harcourt’s waterfront area as part of the ‘urban renewal’ of the city. Thousands have already lost their livelihoods as well as their homes to make way for private development involving an 8 screen cinema (already built), and a planned shopping mall, conference centre, hotel and theme park. Speakers included Joseph Croft, Stakeholder Democracy Network, Lucy Freeman, Nigeria Team Amnesty International and Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International UK The international non-profit organisation Architecture for Health In Vulnerable Environments (ARCHIVE) gave talks to students at University College London’s Development Planning Unit and at Imperial College London about why housing should be a central strategy for preventing illness and providing care among the poor. The talks drew
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USA Habitat for Humanity springfeild celebrated World Habitat Day in Massachusetts on Monday 4 October.
Official Opening for the World Habitat Day Celebration in Malaysia © MHLG Kuala Lumpur
on examples from ARCHIVE’s work in Haiti and northwest London. During the Habitat week ARCHIVE also published an article on its website and, via social media, encouraged its online followers to reflect on the connection between housing and health. Muslim Aid urged governments to honour their collective commitment to provide their people with adequate shelter as part of creating more equal and just societies. Muslim Aid also reiterated its firm resolve to help communities that have lost their homes due to natural and man-made disasters through its relief and development projects by providing temporary shelter, permanent housing and access to clean water. A Spokesperson for Muslim Aid said: “This task of providing shelter and housing requires both national and international efforts and practical solutions, especially for people affected by crisis and natural
disasters. On this day we remind the international community that 640 million children in developing countries still live without adequate shelter and around 55 million people last year were affected by extreme weather conditions across the world. Simple measures such as providing transitional shelter or good drainage systems can save peoples lives.” Muslim Aid is currently implementing shelter and construction programmes in many countries across the world in order to make people’s habitat safer and comfortable. It has also completed flood mitigation projects in Indonesia to improve protection against future flooding. These projects have allowed communities to flourish and children to build a life filled with security and peace.
Habitat for Humanity International organised a major event in Washington DC featuring former President Jimmy Carter. Habitat for Humanity International hosted its annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work in the week of 4 October in cities across USA. Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International said the organization’s model of offering a hand up, rather than a handout, builds responsible home-ownership. In honor of President Carter’s 86th birthday, thousands of volunteers that week built, renovated or repaired 86 homes in Washington, D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Birmingham, Alabama. The CourtView Justice Solutions held The 2010 CourtView User Conference on the 4th and 5th of October, in Cleveland, Ohio, to mark the World Habitat Day. Special guest speakers Jeff Whytsell, Faith OutReach Director for the local Habitat for Humanity and the honorable Judge Ronald B. Adrine, Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court spoke at the event on helping the community and the justice system in Cleveland. User Conference attendees learnt how others within the justice community are helping Build a Better Community. The Honolulu Field Office in Hawaii of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development developed an e-newsletter in celebration of World Habitat Day to highlight individuals and collectives pioneering some potent ideas to create better communities that improve lives and harness the potential of all people.
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The e-newsletter will focus on the immense possibilities being created by ordinary people to enrich the lives of others, promote their well-being and to contribute so communities thrive and flourish. Featured innovative projects include: Institute for Human Services, an emergency shelter for the homeless, and its efforts to produce healthy food, teach sustainable living to kids and learn meaningful employment skills; Small, green affordable project for the elderly proposed for an area in New Orleans devastated by Hurricane Katrina selected as a finalist in a competition sponsored by the US Green Building Council and The Salvation Army. The home will be built and metrics applied regarding the green aspects. Molokai Habitat for Humanity is constructing an off-grid bamboo house that will be certified platinum by the US Green Building Council as a template for expanding capacity to produce homes that are greener and healthier. The e-newsletter was published in October 2010. Habitat for Humanity of Waldo County joined the celebration of World Habitat Day 2010 with special events planned for six weeks. These activities included: A call for more volunteers to help build the first Habitat home in the county. The organization held a communitywide birdhouse decorating competition. The completed birdhouses were sold at a silent auction 4:30-7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. At the “Taste of the World” event, the organization had cards available for those who would like to donate to Habitat for Humanity of Waldo County in the name of someone as a holiday gift. For more information about the cards, call 5576071 or visit www.habitatofwaldocounty. org.
Habitat for Humanity and Rapid City, South Dakota celebrated World Habitat Day by pushing toward adequate housing for all and bring attention to the need for more housing in the area. The organizations started Sunday 3 October by manning an aid station at the Run Crazy Horse Marathon. Habitat also presented Slumdog Millionaire at the Elks Theater on Wednesday night. On Saturday, Rapid City’s mayor and city leaders participated in a “Leaders Build” on 7th Street.
University of California, Berkeley and Cal Habitat for Humanity’s Campus Chapter organized a whole week of events surrounding World Habitat Day, dubbing it World Habitat Week! The hallmark of the week was a Photo Competition asking students “What Will You Build”? The University used Social Media, Facebook, to disseminate and bring awareness to the college community. More details on the event can be found here http://www.ocf. berkeley.edu/~habitat/?page_id=89
Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County hosted a photo contest and exhibit in conjunction with World Habitat Day, in Concord, North Carolina. Entrants submitted photos and a short narrative on what home means to them, and photos were displayed at an ongoing exhibit, opened with a reception on World Habitat Day. Photos will then be compiled in to a book and sent to lawmakers as an appeal for safe, affordable housing.
In Cornelius, North Carolina the World Habitat Day Lowe’s Media Event was organized engaging the media, volunteers, donors and chambers. Lowe is in the process of building a Lowe’s Companies sponsored home. This home is not only an excellent example of what an impact the Lowe’s national partnership has made, but it is also an excellent promotion for our Green Building program. This house will be the first LEEDS-certified home.
Habitat for Humanity of Evansville held an open house at 2113 Shadewood Ave., a home in their newest development, Shadewood Place. They invited the community to tour the home and find out how they can become involved in alleviating the burden of substandard housing. The NGO Committee on Human Settlements organized awareness-raising events for World Habitat Day in New York. The University of Wyoming in Larmaie, celebrated this year’s World Habitat Day through community service involving their student-athletes. The Habitat for Humanity Student Chapter held its first meeting of the year on 4 October at the Hudson Valley Community College
In Dickinson, Texas, the “Parade of Playhouses” event marking World Habitat Day where tickets for mini Habitat for Humanity houses were sold. Students from Wisconsin built two playhouses while volunteering. The students that take part in Youth United Habitat program sold raffle tickets during Act! Speak! Build! Week. Two houses were donated to the local affiliate by families from Montgomery, Alabama on the event of World Habitat Day. The sponsors for the rehabs are Kellogg and Winn Dixie In Pacoima, California, there was a 5 kilometer Habitat Way Walkathon in honor of World Habitat Day.
World Habitat Day 2011 Cities and Climate Change
Representatives from Habitat, Housing Authority, Rebuilding Together and Redevelopment Agency presented their programs during a World Habitat Day event in Warner Robins, Georgia called “Preparing Families for Homeownership” for housing agencies and enabling agencies. Enabling agencies such as Community Action Agency, Consumer Credit Counseling, Life Changers, State Dept. of Family and Children Services, food banks and churches explained their programs to develop families. Randolph-Macon College students paid homage to World Habitat Week October 4-8, 2010. This annual event was an opportunity for Habitat for Humanity, the United Nations and organizations around the world to join forces in raising awareness about the global housing crisis. On October 4, members of the college’s Habitat for Humanity (H4H) chapter “lived” in cardboard boxes all day to raise awareness on campus about poverty and homelessness. Other student organizations also supported H4H by sponsoring a box for the day. All donations received were donated to the Hanover County Habitat for Humanity, which uses 100% of all donations to build homes for Hanover County families. “This was an opportunity for our students to educate themselves and their community and to advocate for decent, affordable homes,” says Christina Brown, assistant director of residence life and housing at R-MC. The event was covered in the October 5 edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. On Wednesday, October 6, Jose Quinonez, the director of Advocacy for Habitat for Humanity International, presented “The State of Poverty in 2010” to R-MC students and members of the community. Quinonez has served Habitat for Humanity and other non-profit organizations for many years
and travels the world to aid in the battle against substandard housing conditions and poverty. Quinonez told the audience that, according to current data, the rate of poverty in the world will continue to increase and the need for decent affordable housing will skyrocket. He also discussed what Habitat and volunteers all around the world are doing to address the situation. Quinonez encouraged students to get involved by working with their local H4H affiliates. Harvard University’s Habitat for Humanity campus chapter held an advocacy campaign with a focus on secure tenure. The students also created a photo collage to submit to Habitat International. Several Community Work Days were held throughout the month of October in Prudenville, Michigan, involving local churches and civic groups in commemoration of World Habitat Day. The University of North Florida volleyball team paired up with Beaches Habitat for Humanity to celebrate World Habitat Day on Tuesday at the Donner Neighborhood Pick Up ‘n’ Picnic. The volleyball team helped the organization with their neighborhood clean-up as well as helping to beautify Jordan Park. UNF also assisted with painting a handicap accessible ramp, picking up trash and planting flowers in the park adjacent to the Habitat for Humanity offices. Along with several other volunteers, the Ospreys interacted with the community by doing art projects with some of the youth of the neighborhood.
Zambia Habitat for Humanity Zambia participated with the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in a session on World Habitat Day. The minister was the main speaker, while other speakers included UN-
HABITAT, UNDP, Kitwe Mayor, the Canadian Ambassador to Zambia and HFH Zambia. Habitat for Humanity representative for Zambia made a speech focusing on the theme “Better City, Better Life” and asked local authorities to work in partnership with NGO’s in order to achieve better cities and improve the lives of urban inhabitants. The Swedish Cooperative Centre worked with its partners to celebrate the World Habitat Day and to raise awareness on this year’s theme Better City, Better Life in Zambia.
Zimbabwe For the first time the World Habitat Day commemorations were organized by ZIM-Habitat in close collaboration with the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities. The National Housing Convention in November 2009 strongly recommended the establishment of ZIM-HABITAT which is the National Chapter on Human Settlements. Its broad mandate is to facilitate the formulation of the national housing policy and monitor its implementation through diverse stakeholders in the sector as well as to play an advisory role to the Ministry on matters related to policies and strategies on human settlement development in general. The commemorations 2010 were celebrated in Budiriro/Section 5 in Harare. Numerous guests were invited to visit a current housing consortium project in Budiriro. The City of Harare allocated undeveloped land to the consortium in December of 2004. The City of Harare mandated the consortium to do the following developments: Surveying, Water reticulation system, Sewer reticulation system, Road network and Building housing units for members. These developments were funded by
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member subscriptions only. To date the following has been achieved: Surveying 100%, Water reticulation 100%, Sewer reticulation 100%, Road network up to gravel level (the consortium is expected to tar the roads on their own before processing of title deeds), Housing units’ developments (consortium approximation 50%). The consortium went even further to partner the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and provides about 70% of the required materials for the electricity grid. To date the project is 80% complete. All achievements made in the project were 100% self funded and the success was recorded under a hyperinflationary environment. All project participants believe these projects are a success story in Southern Africa if not in Africa as a whole. The visit of the project site where the Guest of Honour, Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities
Hon. Giles T. Mutsekwa officially opened a model house was followed by speeches from Mr. J Chiyangwa (Director of Housing and Community Services/City of Harare), Hon. Dr.I.G. Karimanzira (Governor and Resident Minister for Harare Metropolitan Province) and L. Hlatywayo (Consortium Statement), Mr.Chiroto (Deputy Mayor of Harare), Mr.Tutisani (Chairperson ZIM Habitat) and Christine Umutoni (Country Director UNDP). The town clerk of the City of Harare Dr.Tendai Mahachi closed the event with a Vote of Thanks on behalf of the councillor for Ward 43. The celebration was accompanied by the Budiriro No. 5 Pry School &Churchill Pipe Band. UN Habitat office in Harare had sponsored 500 T-shirts for the event as well as a banner. The celebration concluded with a group lunch at Chinese Gardens Restaurant in Harare.
PHOTO: © Gobierno de Aguascalientes
“Let us work together to combat climate change, encouraging our cities and towns to vigorously implement mitigation and adaptation measures.” –
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 2010
PHOTOS: © Gobierno de Aguascalientes
“Urban planning is fundamental for effective climate change action both in mitigation and adaptation” –
UN-HABITAT Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos, 2011
United Nations Human Settlements Programme P.O. Box 30030, GPO Nairobi, 00100, Kenya Telephone: +254 20 762 3120 infohabitat@unhabitat.org www.unhabitat.org