Urban October is an opportunity for everyone to be part of the conversation about the challenges and opportunities created by the fast rate of change in our cities and towns. Each October, everyone interested in sustainable urbanization from national and local governments to universities, NGOs, and communities is encouraged to hold or participate in activities, events, and discussions.
The month begins with World Habitat Day on the first Monday of the month and ends with World Cities Day on 31 October. Activities take place on those specific days or at any time during the month.
2023 Urban October Events & Activities Around Africa
In Cameroon, the 2023 edition of World Habitat Day was celebrated in the city of Garoua, located in the North Region of Cameroon. This celebration was preceded by the organisation of a housing week marked by several activities, including a waste picketing march, an inaugural sports walk, followed by the planting of 1,000 trees by the administrative and municipal authorities, pupils and students.
There was a reforestation campaign, co-organised by the municipalities of the city of Garoua in particular, and a press briefing to announce the event, with media appearances, special broadcasts on Cameroon Radio Television, roundtables, dialogues and thematic sessions on topics identified by the Scientific Committee in relation to the central theme. The day was launched on 25 September 2023.
2 October 2023
The Municipal Council of Manzini is committed to achieve sustainable socio-economic development in the city of Manzini, Eswatini. Supporting the global call for cities to save the habitat in order to protect the planet earth and the life in it. During COVID-19 and the political unrest right after experiencing COVID-19 which affected the city drastically.
Council showed a resilient economy, a city as a driver of growth and recovery. In line with the theme Council’s poster shows projects by the Council empowering its citizens and surroundings economically whilst promoting a clean environment and rehabilitating infrastructure.
6 October 2023
7th edition of ARCHI TALK by CHORUS ARCHITECTURE. World Habitat Day Local Observation takes place in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
6 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Nairobi, Kenya. We have entered the Global Boiling era, where the consequences of climate change, namely rising temperatures, affect our urban environments and public health. In this learning session, we are privileged to have two distinguished speakers: Eleni (Lenio) Myrivili, who will address the nexus of urban heat and health, and Tolullah Oni, offering expertise on climate change’s impact on urban health and well-being.
The session will uncover challenges, strategies and opportunities for building urban resilience, offering in-depth discussions and valuable insights into crafting sustainable urban futures. Register now and join us for this learning session where our speakers will share invaluable insights and engage participants in dynamic discussions Fri, Oct 06, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (CEST) We look forward to having you attend the event!
7 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Cairo, Egypt. The Nada Foundation, in collaboration with Walk21 Foundation, Alstom, Transport for Cairo and UN Habitat, is proud to host a groundbreaking Seminar to discuss “Unlocking the Potential of Walkability in the Greater Cairo Region: Insights from the Walkability App crowd-sourced data” scheduled on the 7th of October 2023, utilizing the Walkability App developed by Walk21, supported by Alstom.
The conference serves as a platform to disseminate finding obtained from Walkability App study, and to bring together experts, policymakers, government officials, NGOs, planners and various stakeholders to identify deficiencies in pedestrian infrastructure through data driven evidence based approaches. The conference aims to cause an exchange of knowledge and discuss how to explore innovative approaches to improve pedestrian infrastructure, safer streets with public transit catchments.
Objectives:
- Present the findings gathered from using the Walkability App in assessing user perceptions of walkability in Cairo.
- Facilitate discussions among stakeholders on how to improve pedestrian infrastructure based on data-driven approaches.
- Raise awareness about the importance of prioritizing pedestrians’ needs within public transit catchments for enhancing ridership and user satisfaction.
- Foster collaboration between different organizations involved in sustainable mobility initiatives to accelerate the vision of creating a more walkable Greater Cairo Region.
11 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Nairobi, Kenya. The Policy, Legislation and Governance Section, UN-Habitat and the Global Planning Educators Interest Group (GPEIG), a group of scholars affiliated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, are pleased to invite you all to their second Urban October event, with a focus on the Role of Multi-Level Governance for Climate Action.
The session will explore the following key considerations:
- How can multi-level governance enable climate action for cities?
- What are the challenges and lessons learned from different world regions?
- What can urban planning educators, researchers, and professionals do to facilitate climate change mitigation and adaptation?
13 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Nairobi, Kenya. The University of Nairobi (UON) and UN-HABITAT will launch the Centre for Urban-Rural Linkages in Africa (CURLA) on Friday, 13th October 2023 at 2:00 PM. The venue of the event is Chandaria Auditorium, UON Towers 6th Floor.
CURLA is a research, capacity development, student mentorship, and policy center for urban-rural linkages (URLs) following the successful implementation of the COVID-19 ITFCURN project faculty by UON and UN-HABITAT in collaboration with the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (Republic of Cameroon), Ministry of Housing (Niger state, Federal Republic of Nigeria), Universite Gaston Berge de Saint-Louis du Senegal (Government of Republic of Senegal) and University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).
16 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Kigali, Rwanda. The University of Rwanda, in partnership with the City of Kigali, UNEP and Walk21 Foundation, is proud to host the 23rd Walk21 International Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities: Walk21 Kigali, the first Walk21 conference on the African continent.
Walk21 Kigali, scheduled to be held from 16-19 October 2023, aims to bring together experts, policymakers, researchers, and leaders from more than 40 different countries to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and discuss innovative approaches on how to develop and implement walking policies and programmes that deliver walkable communities and safer streets, broader community participation and enhance the value of walking.
The title of the conference is ‘Action for Walking – Affordable, Essential Steps to Improve Walkability’ and has four themes:
- Improving road safety for people walking.
- Planning for walking in low-income neighbourhoods.
- Building walking policy actions to reach the SDGs and climate goals.
- Financing and governance models for supporting walking infrastructure.
16 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Accra, Ghana. The 2023 Africa Real Estate Conference will focus on sustainability and Proptech solutions. The conference will bring together real estate professionals, investors, developers, and other stakeholders to discuss the latest trends and technologies in the industry.
The conference will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops on topics such as green building, energy efficiency, smart cities, and the use of technology to improve the real estate industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field and network with industry leaders. The conference will also feature an exhibition hall showcasing the latest Proptech solutions and products.
Attendees will be able to explore the latest technologies and products available in the market and learn how to use them to improve their businesses. The conference will also feature a series of awards recognizing the best projects and initiatives in the real estate industry. The awards will recognize projects that have made a positive impact on the environment, economy, and society.
23 October 2023
Urban October Local Observation takes place in Yaoundé, Cameroun. In Africa, the theme of sustainable, accessible and inclusive living represents a key topic at the heart of local climate action. The Climate Chance association is proposing a multi-actor mobilisation on the African continent by organising the Climate Chance Conference Africa « Sustainable Habitats and Climate Change » in Yaoundé on 23 and 24 October 2023, at the Institut Français in Cameroon.
A wide range of African and international partners and networks will be involved in the Yaounde event including: UN-Habitat, the OECD, the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), GIZ, AFD, UCLG Africa, ICLEI Africa, West African Development Bank, etc. The conference, which is part of UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign (WUC), will be a major event on the international climate agenda.
It will therefore be an opportunity to deliver the key messages from the Yaounde Roadmap for Sustainable Habitat in Africa – a summary and advocacy document that will be based on the analyses of the Observatory for Climate Action in Africa and the recommendations drawn up collectively at the event – at COP28 in Dubai, as well as at the forthcoming World Urban Forum 2024 (WUF12) in Cairo.