UNIS/SGSM/1441
4 October 2024
On World Habitat Day, we reaffirm the basic right of shelter and reflect on the transformation of urban environments.
This year’s theme highlights the vital role of young people in creating a better urban future. By 2030, 60 per cent of urban residents will be under the age of 18. As cities continue to grow, so does the opportunity to tap into the energy of young people to turn urban challenges into opportunities.
As last month’s Summit of the Future made clear, young people are crucial to building a more equitable and sustainable future. Making the most of that potential requires investing in education, expanding digital skills, fostering entrepreneurship and promoting youth-led initiatives on climate action, affordable housing and durable mobility.
All of this and more is vital to shaping vibrant, inclusive and resilient cities and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
As we celebrate World Habitat Day, let us support youth everywhere, include young people in decision-making, and build cities where people of all ages can thrive.
* *** *
"Working as one, we must push to repeal discriminatory laws, combat violence and harmful practices, and end the scapegoating of marginalized communities." — António Guterres
"From the telegraph to radio, from the Internet to Artificial Intelligence, technology has transformed how we live, work, and connect." — António Guterres
Barbados signed and deposited its instrument of ratification for the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (the “Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships”) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 May 2025.
Journalists are invited to cover the 34th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) to be held from 19 to 23 May in Vienna, Austria.
