UN-Habitat Executive Director’s Closing Speech for World Habitat Day
October 7, 18:00
Your Excellencies,
Honorable guests,
Distinguished delegates,
Youth representatives,
Volunteers, language and sign interpreters, and UN Web TV,
Colleagues, friends, ladies, and gentlemen,
Good afternoon,
All good things must come to an end. We have reached the conclusion of our World Habitat Day celebrations. I feel deeply grateful to have shared this day with you. This morning, more than 1,300 people attended World Habitat Day in Querétaro in person, and representatives from 288 cities in 88 countries registered for the event. This is truly impressive! The ideas, contributions, and experiences of impactful solutions and approaches toward sustainable cities and communities have taken us on an inspiring and informative journey. I hope you feel as refreshed, inspired, and motivated as I do. We are all ready to turn our DeclarACTION into real action.
I would like to address you—youth representatives, city leaders, and innovative talents. Thank you for making this event a day focused on impact. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for listening. I also extend a very special thanks to our amazing hosts: the state of Querétaro, the municipality of Querétaro, and the Government of Mexico. You have exceeded our expectations by welcoming us and making this World Habitat Day so special. I am convinced that this celebration will leave a legacy in Querétaro. And of course, a huge thanks to the UN-Habitat team for their hard work in making this event possible.
It’s hard to summarize all the highlights of today in a few words. But at UN-Habitat, we love challenges! This morning’s Youth Dialogue on creating a better urban future brought perspectives from Uganda, Colombia, and of course, Querétaro. The two Youth Roundtables on the role of young people in leading the fight against climate change, and on solutions for sustainable urban mobility, proposed a wealth of replicable practices, ideas, and strategies to address some of the main challenges we face.
We know the facts. By 2030, more than 60% of urban residents will be under the age of 18. Most will live in the Global South, many in cities. But let’s make it clear: young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are also the leaders of today. They are our hope to accelerate and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Recently, youth leadership was highlighted in the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations during the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations, last month in New York. I am also proud of the adoption of the DeclarACTION on youth and sustainable urbanization on this World Habitat Day, a commitment from young people, local governments, and other partners with whom we work for sustainable urbanization.
Furthermore, today, during our Scroll of Honour Awards, we recognized extraordinary individuals and initiatives. I hope their achievements and commitment to impactful work, sustainable urban development, informal settlements, public spaces, and improving people’s quality of life have inspired you. I hope this ceremony motivates you to apply for this UN-Habitat Award next year.
Sometimes the challenges we face seem overwhelming. Despite our efforts, urban inequality continues to rise, and we are not on track to meet the SDGs or basic rights. Having a home where one feels safe remains out of reach for many. This is why it is so important to gather on occasions like World Habitat Day, to learn from one another, celebrate successes, and create new partnerships that place people and their rights at the heart of decisions.
Mexico, along with the Latin American and Caribbean region, has taken significant steps to address the urgent challenges of rapid urbanization. The region is increasingly working with UN-Habitat to learn and share innovative solutions. I want to reiterate our commitment to supporting Mexico and the entire Latin American and Caribbean region. Together, we can create a sustainable urban future.
As we leave this incredible venue today, let us remember that conversations and collaboration must not end here. This day has set the stage for continued engagement. We look forward to seeing how these ideas grow and evolve even further. We will continue our dialogue at the upcoming 12th session of the World Urban Forum in Cairo—in less than a month.
