4 October: World Habitat Day

Every first Monday of October since 1985, the world celebrates World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter. Celebrations this year which will take place on 4 October 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya will focus on the theme Cities - engines for rural development.

Various activities are being organized all over the world to highlight the state of human settlements and specifically the linkages between urban and rural areas. The high rate of urbanization in the developing world and its social-economic significance both in urban and rural areas will also be dealt with during this day.

An Inter-regional Conference on Urban-Rural Linkages will take place in Nairobi from 1-4 October 2004. Co-sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), the conference will seek to create and promote awareness among national economic and social development decision-makers and planners, their policy advisers and urban-rural development actors, of the need for enhancing the balanced territorial development of both rural and urban areas.

To read more about the activities being organized by numerous countries to celebrate this day, please click here.

Read the guidelines published by UN Habitat to celebrate World Habitat Day in your country.