World Cities Day is declared by the United Nations General Assembly on October 31st. Climate-related calamities such as floods, droughts, sea-level rise, heat waves, landslides, and storms are becoming more common in cities around the world.
Coastal flooding is anticipated to hit at least 130 port cities with populations of over one million people, with the one billion people living in urban informal settlements being particularly vulnerable.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role of communities in accomplishing this goal and in the reaction, recovery, and long-term sustainability of cities.
While the pandemic has had a significant impact on global and local economies, local communities have continued to support this shift, ensuring the survival of local lives.
To speed this shift, cities should be encouraged to develop and experiment, as well as to learn from one another, for example through “twin town” projects or city networks.
Furthermore, the paper claims that a “well-grounded cities” strategy to urban economies will be required to replace a “competitive cities” approach that serves the interests of all inhabitants.
World Cities Day Celebration Date
Image Source: dreamstimeWorld Cities Day is celebrated annually on 31 October to:
- advocate global urbanisation as a priority for the international community;
- encourage countries to work together to face urbanization’s potential and problems, as well as to contribute to global sustainable urban development.
In this context, the World Heritage Cities Programme aims to place urban heritage at the heart of sustainable development, addressing ways to improve wellbeing and liveability in (historic) cities by preserving and integrating urban heritage values and identity.
Traditional practices, knowledge and skills, construction techniques using local building materials, climate adaptation solutions, use of space, productive activities, and many others.
All national parks, aquariums, research centres, botanic gardens, zoos, and science and natural history museums can join the Global Coalition for Biodiversity to raise public awareness about the nature crisis ahead of the crucial COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity next year when nations will adopt a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to protect and restore nature.
Thank you for reading about World Cities Day. You might also like to know about World Tourism Day.
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