World Cities Day 2026 to explore how urban regeneration can advance adequate housing for all

Fuzhou, China, will host the global observance of World Cities Day on 31 October, focusing on how cities can renew neighbourhoods while ensuring that residents benefit from the changes.

Nairobi, 22 October 2026 – A renovated neighbourhood can mean better homes, improved public spaces and more reliable services. But if rents rise beyond residents’ reach, the people who stood to benefit from these improvements may find themselves pushed out.

That tension will be central to World Cities Day 2026, which will bring government leaders and urban stakeholders to Fuzhou, China, on 31 October to explore how urban regeneration can advance adequate housing for all.

With up to 3.4 billion people worldwide lacking access to adequate housing, including more than 1.1 billion people living in informal settlements and slums, cities face the challenge of improving existing neighbourhoods while meeting growing housing needs. Under the theme “Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All”, the global observance will examine how urban renewal can improve homes, infrastructure and public spaces while keeping housing affordable and protecting the interests of existing communities.

The discussions will bring together senior Chinese officials, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach and Nga Kor Ming, President of the United Nations Habitat Assembly.

A ministerial segment will bring perspectives from national governments, with ministers responsible for housing, urban development and public works joining Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

From 31 October to 2 November, the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center will host thematic forums, side events, exhibitions and city tours. The forums on 1 November will address three areas central to turning urban regeneration into better housing outcomes: the planning, governance and delivery frameworks needed to advance adequate housing; implementation and reporting of the New Urban Agenda, including national and local delivery towards the 2023 horizon; and financing for inclusive urban regeneration and adequate housing.

The opening ceremony will also feature the presentation of the fourth-cycle Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, known as the Shanghai Award, recognizing cities’ achievements in sustainable urban development.

The event is jointly organized by China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Fujian Provincial People’s Government, and UN-Habitat, and is hosted by the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government.

World Cities Day concludes Urban October, UN-Habitat’s annual month of activities and discussions on urban challenges and solutions. This year’s observances began with World Habitat Day in Muscat, Oman, on 5 October, under a shared focus on adequate housing and the need to make it accessible to more people.

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