Hosted by

Permanent Missions of Slovakia, Germany, and Bangladesh to the UN,
NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY and UN-Habitat

Co-sponsored by

PVBLIC Foundation, Coalition for the UN We Need, Baha’i International Community, SDG Relief Fund, Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet, Perkins Eastman, Global Urban Development, The Stimson Center, Together First, RecycleGO Inc, Humanity Helping Sudan Project, 734 Coffee, StartUpAfrica Inc, NGO/MG Urban Cluster, Global Family, Soroptimist International, Humanitarian Focus Foundation, Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission, Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, Debate for Peace, Huairou Commission, General Assembly of Partners, Global Family for Love & Peace, ICW, GNEC, CoNGO, and UNA-USA Council of Organizations.

Concept Notes

Our annual observance for World Cities Day 2022 on “Better City, Better Life: Act Local to Go Global” underlines the importance of Agenda 2030 especially SDG11 and its focus on “ensuring access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services” and the New Urban Agenda, that places housing at its center. As communities around the world move beyond the pandemic while dealing with climate-related disasters, 1.6 billion people lack adequate housing, an estimated 100 million people are homeless, 15 million people are forcefully evicted every year, and 22 million people are displaced on average due to climate change. UN-Habitat estimates that an additional 3 billion people, about 40 percent of the world’s population, will need access to adequate housing by 2030.

While the world continues to urbanize, the demand for housing increases exponentially. Ensuring the provision of healthy housing that is connected to livelihood and job opportunities, with access to transportation and other services, will be critical to reduce spatial inequalities, homelessness, and urban sprawl. When it comes to ensuring the right to adequate housing, national and local governments have complementary roles and mandates. In crafting and implementing housing policies, they need the input and support of a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. Since current practices are producing insufficient supplies of housing, there is a need for innovative planning, design, and financing packages to meet the growing demand. By building partnerships with UN Member States, national and local authorities, UN-Habitat, as well as stakeholders from civil society and the private sector, we can be better prepared to achieve inclusive, safe, resilient, and healthy cities.

Welcome & Moderator

• Ms. Margo LaZaro, President and Chair of the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, Director of UN Relations for Global Family, and Convener of NGO Major Group Urban Cluster for the UN High-Level Political Forum Opening Reflections
• Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya

Keynote Reflections

• H.E. Ambassador Dr. Michal Mlynar, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN
• H.E. Ambassador Mr. Mohammd Abdl Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN
• H.E. Ambassador Mr. Thomas Zahneisen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN
• Mr. Satya S. Tripathi, Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet
• Ms. Judy L. Baker, Global Lead on Urban Poverty, Inclusive Cities and Housing at the World Bank
• Mr. Raf Tuts, Director of the Global Solutions Division of UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Co-Moderator

• Ms. Cairo Eubanks, Founder of Bringing the Globe & UN Youth Representative for New Future Foundation

Housing for Resilient Cities & Communities

• Hon. Mr. Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, United Kingdom * Lord Mayor Ms. Carola Gunnarsson, of Sala, Sweden
• *Ms. Aissata M.B. Camara, Deputy Commissioner for Policy & Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs
• *Hon. Mr. Hector John, Member of Parliament Salisbury, Commonwealth of Dominica * Ambassador, Dr. Carlos Garcia, former Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations, Founder and CEO of CG Global Consultant, Secretary-General of UN Association of El Salvador
• Dr. Eugénie L. Birch, FAICP, RTPI (Hon), Co-Director of Penn Institute for Urban Research and President of the General Assembly of Partners
• Ms. Jane Katz, Vice-Chair & Washington, DC Rep. of Global Urban Development, Represents the General Assembly of Partners on the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction/Sendai Stakeholder Engagement
• Mr. Ted Liebman, FAIA, Principal at Perkins Eastman, Board Member & Vice President of Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization
• Mr. David Michael Terungwa, Executive Director of Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, Environmental Management, based in Nigeria
• Dr. Marc A. Weiss, Chairman and CEO, Global Urban Development

Innovative Solutions & Moving Forward

• Mr. Stan Chen, CEO of RecycleGO Inc, and President of United Metal Recycling
• Dr. Andrise Bass, Ph.D, Founder and President of Humanitarian Focus Foundation, Vice President of ASPAFrique and Climate Reality Project Leader
• Mr. Daniel del Valle Blanco, Diplomat, Political and Youth Advisor, Permanent Missions of the Sovereign Order of Malta and Slovakia to the United Nations in New York. High Rep. for Youth, International Human Rights Foundation
• Mr. Manyang Reath Kher, Founder & CEO of Humanity Helping Sudan Project, the Founder & CEO of 734 Coffee
• Mr. Steven Aiello, Founder and Director of Debate for Peace, Israel
• Mr. Erastus B. Mong’are, HSC, Founder and Executive Director for StartUpAfrica, Inc
• Ms. Cairo Eubanks, Founder of Bringing the Globe & UN Youth Representative for New Future Foundation

Updates on the UN Secretary-General’s “Our Common Agenda” & the Summit for the Future

• Mr. Jeffery Huffines, Senior Adviser of the Coalition for the UN We Need and Together First Interactive

Dialogue Exchange

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