The United Nations has designated every 31st of October as World Cities Day to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, and to push forward cooperation among countries in contributing to sustainable urban development around the world.

World Cities Day 2016 will be celebrated under the theme Inclusive Cities, Shared Development highlighting the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion. This year’s theme is embraced by the action and implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which is putting the topic of inclusive cities as one of the main pillars for the urban shift.

World Cities Day marks the end of Urban October month of celebrations and this year it is happening after the resounding success of the Habitat III Conference.

See the video message of Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, and of Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, here.

• Raise awareness through mass and social media: press articles, radio and television, newspapers, exhibitions, etc., engaging policy makers, government officials, academics, professional, citizens and community representatives.
  Promote #CitiesDay #UrbanOctober and #NewUrbanAgenda on your posts and tweets.
  
  
  

• Organize high-level meetings, discussions, fundraising or cultural events to promote social cohesion in your city.
  
  

  
  

• Add your commitments to the New Urban Agenda at the Quito Implementation Plan.
  
  

  
  

• Quito, 09:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. UTC-05:00
  The Global Observance of World Cities Day
  The event will include a high-level debate with key note speakers in the field of urban development as well as World Cities Day Exhibition. Organized by UN-Habitat, the City of Quito and Shanghai Municipal People's Government.
  
  
  
• New York, 08.30 a.m. - 09.30 a.m. UTC-04:00
  World Cities Day Urban Breakfast
  Morning discussion on the Day's theme Inclusive Cities, Shared Development. It will take place at United Nations Headquarters Delegates Dinning Room (4th Floor).
  
  
• New York, 12.15 p.m. - 12.45 p.m. UTC-04:00
  Press Briefing
  On the occasion of the World Cities Day, Dr. Joan Clos, Secretary-General of the Habitat III Conference, will present the outcome document of the Habitat III Conference—the New Urban Agenda—in the Noon Media Briefing in New York.
  
  
  
• Xiamen, 09:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m. UTC+08:00
  China National Observance of World Cities Day
  The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, UN-Habitat and Fujian Provincial Government will host an event on sustainable urbanization where the Xiamen Initiative on Urban Development will be adopted.
  
  
  
• Shanghai, 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. UTC+08:00
  World Cities Day Celebrations in Shanghai
  Shanghai Housing and Urban-Rural Construction and Management Committee and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Land Resources will host a Forum on Urban Culture and Quality of City Life from 31 October to 1 November.