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 and housing
rights, and providing access to basic urban services.
The United Nations chose the
theme of
Harmonious Cities
for 2008
to raise awareness about the problems of rapid urbanization,
its impact on the environment, the growth of slums, and the
urbanisation of poverty as more and more people teem into
towns and cities looking for a better life
