Habitat Norway is a Norwegian non governmental organisation with the overall aim to promote the interest and awareness of settlement issues around the world. The organisation was established in order to put settlement issues on the Norwegian Development Policy Agenda. Habitat Norway is a member of the Habitat International Coalition.
The organisation was founded in 1988 as a result of the activities carried out during the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The organisation is attached to the Norwegian Branch of International Federation of Housing and Planning, and is open to all professionals; it has members representing many different disciplines such as architecture, engineering, sociology, human geography, and social anthropology. The activities consist mainly of lectures and seminars, sometimes in cooperation with other organisations. Habitat Norway arranges a seminar in October each year in celebration of the World Habitat Day.
I am pleased to inform you that the 2006 World Habitat Day celebrations will take place on Monday, 2 October. Since 1985, World Habitat Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in October each year to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to alert the world on its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. The Italian city of Naples has been designated to spearhead the 2006 global celebration of World Habitat Day. The theme of the occasion this year will be Cities, magnets of hope.
This year's theme highlights the fact that the world is witnessing the greatest migration in its history of people into towns and cities. In 1950, one-third of the world’s people lived in cities. Just 50 years later, this rose to one-half and will continue to grow to two-thirds, or 6 billion people, by 2050. Cities are now home to half of humankind.
As the world becomes increasingly urban, it is crucial that policymakers understand the power of the city as a catalyst for national development. Cities have to be able to provide inclusive living conditions for all their residents. Rich or poor, everyone has a right to the city, to a decent living environment, to clean water, sanitation, transport, electricity and other services. How we manage this is arguably one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.
We chose Naples because, for centuries, as a great crossroads of the Mediterranean, it has drawn people from every corner of the world, and still continues to draw people. With its traditionally open culture, Naples has always been a welcoming city, a place of many innovative and constantly evolving ideas to coping with a growing population.
This year, I have also accepted to personally attend the World Habitat Day Celebrations in Kazan, Russia, which are expected to take place on 4 October 2006. Kazan is an equally historic city that has been the trading intermediary between the East and the West. In the recent past, the city has embarked in providing new housing and infrastructure for its poorest residents through a Slum Liquidation Programme started in 1996 and completed in 2004.
The global observance of World Habitat Day always includes the presentation of the Scroll of Honour awards. The most prestigious human settlements award in the world, its aim is to acknowledge outstanding contributions towards improving human settlements. The award was first launched in 1989 and more than 95 recipients have been honoured. UNHABITAT again takes pleasure in inviting you to nominate candidates for this year’s Scroll of Honour.
Last year,over 100 events commemorating World Habitat Day were held around the world. I thank you for this support and invite you again to celebrate World Habitat Day with us this year to raise awareness of the challenges that, collectively, we need to address to improve human settlements worldwide. We kindly ask you to nominate a World Habitat Day focal point with whom we can liaise to support your celebrations. A special e-mail address has been set up so that we can respond quickly to any queries.
I refer you to http://www.unhabitat.org/whd/2006for guidelines for Scroll of Honour nominations and the organization of local World Habitat Day celebrations.
We look forward to you celebrating this important event with us, either at the global observances, or in your home country at national and local events marking World Habitat Day 2006.
