World Cities Day 2022

World Cities Day brings Urban October to an end on 31 October each year and was first celebrated in 2014. As with World Habitat Day, a global observance is held in a different city each year and the day focuses on a specific theme.

This year’s global observance is planned to take place on 31 October 2022 under the theme Act Local to Go Global. We want to bring different partners and diverse stakeholders together to share their experiences and approaches to local action, what local action worked and what is needed to empower local and regional governments to create greener, more equitable and sustainable cities.

Event City and Country
Shanghai, China
Event Date
Messages from the UN Secretary General and the Executive Director
SG's Message for the World Cities Day

On this World Cities Day, we recognize the critical role of urban areas in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Next year marks the mid-point to the deadline to reach the SDGs. Yet an honest look reveals a bleak picture. Across a range of critical goals from poverty and hunger to gender equality and education we are not seeing progress, but backsliding. The consequences are dramatic: escalating climate chaos, growing poverty, rising inequalities, and more. We must change course and we can. This year’s theme of World Cities Day highlights how: ‘Act Local to Go Global.’ The goals are global in scope, but implementation is local. And that means implementation happens largely in cities: Today, more than half of all people live in urban areas by 2050, and over two-thirds will do so.

ED's Message for the World Cities Day

We have only about 87 months, 380 weeks or 2600 days left to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The best way to do so is by ensuring our cities and communities are sustainable. These are big words. What I mean to say is that sometimes the solution to the challenges we are facing such as the Covid-19 pandemic, on-going conflicts and climate disasters is starring us in the face.

 

 

Global Observance Speeches and Presentations
Speech of the Executive Director of UN-Habitat at the High-level opening ceremony of the World Cities Day 2022 in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Speech of Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator at UNDP Mr. Haoling Xu
Videos

WCD 2022 Programme

World Cities Day 2022 programme is found here

Registration

Registration has closed on Sunday, 30 October 2022 at 6:00 p.m. (EAT).

Join the celebrations

High-level opening ceremony of the global observance of World Cities Day 
Interpretation available in China, English and French
15:00-17:00 (UTC+08:00 | Beijing Time)

Join via Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/96121484968?pwd=aTZmRFJzdzlMeGkvckcwcTV0N0hOZz09
Meeting ID: 961 2148 4968
Passcode: 103115

 

Roundtable 1 discussion: Guiding Local Action to Go Global
Interpretation available in China, English and French
17:30-19:00 (UTC+08:00 | Beijing Time)

Join via Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/98653770851?pwd=T1daSVI1Wnkva2J3TEFzejNIUWY4QT09
Meeting ID: 986 5377 0851
Passcode: 103117

 

Roundtable 2 discussion: From Local to Global: Multilevel Governance for Impact
Interpretation available in China, English and French
17:30-19:00 (UTC+08:00 | Beijing Time)

Join via Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/97895471137?pwd=TGFkRjFnUzJJRCttT1NGY1B5d2dKdz09
Meeting ID: 978 9547 1137
Passcode: 103118

Roundtable Concept Notes

Round Table 1 Concept Note
Round Table 2 Concept Note

Speeches and Presentations

Speech of the Executive Director of UN-Habitat at the High-level opening ceremony of the World Cities Day 2022 in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Speech of Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator at UNDP Mr. Haoling Xu

Press Releases

  • World Cities Day 2022 celebrated in Shanghai, China

Concept Note

Event Toolkit

Social Media

Information on the previous World Cities Day celebrations is available here.

Please feel free to contact us on our email address: unhabitat-wcd@un.org

Logos