UCLG Celebrates Urban October 2017 one year after the adoption of the New Urban Agenda

This year Urban October kicked off with World Habitat Day on 2 October celebrating and will end on 31 October with the celebration of World Cities Day. With two international days directly related to urbanization and sustainable development, Urban October will see a number of events and celebrations taking place worldwide.

The first Monday of October is World Habitat Day, an opportunity to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and the right to adequate shelter. The theme of World Habitat Day 2017 was Housing Policies: Affordable Homes, a long-standing priority for UCLG and our members. On the occasion of World Habitat Day 2017, UCLG called on its members to “Make the Shift” to housing as a human right.

[Read: On the World Habitat Day, UCLG calls for the right to adequate, safe and affordable housing]

Innovative Governance, Open Cities 

This year, Urban October coincides with the first anniversary of the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in October 2016. A year on from its adoption, governments at all levels, intergovernmental organizations and stakeholders are implementing the New Urban Agenda as a key tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. 

World Cities Day aims to raise awareness of urbanization, address the challenges of urbanization and contribute to sustainable development all around the world. The theme for this year’s World Cities Day is “Innovative Governance, Open Cities”, which echoes the ideas of New Urban Agenda. 

UCLG calls upon its members and partners to mobilize and raise awareness of the transformative potential of urbanization and the significant role that well-managed cities with strong institutions accountable to citizens can play in a sustainable future for all. 

The City of Guangzhou to host World Cities Day 2017

World Cities Day will be held in Guangzhou, China on 31 October 2017. The metropolitan city of Guangzhou leads the UCLG Urban Innovation Community with the goal of promoting knowledge-sharing derived from urban innovation, driving innovation-driven development among UCLG member cities and providing a platform for city-to-city cooperation on urban innovation.

Urban October brings together many initiatives on advocacy, outreach and communication on sustainable urban development. Urban October is a month for raising interest in urban challenges, for stimulating debates and moving forward commitments.

Let's celebrate Urban October and raise awareness of urbanization and sustainable development using the #UrbanOctober#CitiesDay and  #Local4Action hashtags.

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