World Habitat Day 2008

The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October each year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. The global observance of the occasion this year will be led from the Angolan capital, Luanda. The celebrations in Angola will show the world, how the country, after years of conflict, is progressing in the establishment of harmonious cities through urban development, poverty alleviation, improved Land & Housing rights, and providing access to basic urban services.
Click here to read about the global celebrations

World Habitat Day 2008 in Sri Lanka

Children’s Art Competition

UN-Habitat office in Colombo has organized an Art Competition amongst school children from communities in UN-Habitat implemented human settlements Projects (Post-tsunami reconstruction). The themes for this competition were:

Impressions on Tsunami Disaster
Recovery process; rebuilding houses and lives
Leadership and Community Empowerment
Improvement of environment

The competition was conducted for three age group categories of school children and was judged by an eminent panel of contemporary Sri Lankan artists chaired by Mr. Stanley Kirinde.

The award ceremony will be held on Saturday, 04th October 2008 between 10.30 am and 12.00noon. Prize winners as well as their parents, school principals, teachers, and Community Development Council office bearers will be invited to this ceremony. Neil Buhne – UN Resident representative, Dr P Ramunujan – Secretary Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Areas Development will be the main invitees of this event to be held at the main Auditorium of the Construction Equipment Training Centre (CETRAC), at Pelawatta, Battaramulla. Due to logistical reasons prize winners from Ampara, Batticaloa and Jaffna Districts will be awarded at District Level ceremonies chaired by the respective Government Agents.

Official Celebrations by the Government of Sri Lanka

The Ministry of Housing & Common Amenities and the Ministry of Urban Development & Sacred Area Development are in the process of jointly organizing the World Habitat Day 2008 under the theme “Harmonious Cities” with emphasis on rapid urbanization & its implications on the environment, growth of slums and urbanization of poverty. A comprehensive programme has been planned with the participation of relevant stakeholders. The main target areas are addressing environmental implications related to rapid urbanization, mobilization of housing finance for low income categories, improvement of living conditions in underserved settlements, tenure rights and awareness creation among school children and general public on technological advances in the fields of cost effective construction, alternative construction materials & energy sources.