Bangkok--14 Oct--UNISBKK
11 a.m., 15 October 2009, Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand
Nations, cities and towns across the globe are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, resource depletion, food insecurity, population growth and economic instability — factors that will significantly reshape communities in the century ahead.
The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day (WHD) to promote innovations in affordable housing and sustainable urban development. This year the theme is Planning our Urban Future, to raise awareness for the need to improve urban planning to deal with new major challenges of the urban century.
In conjunction with the observance of World Habitat Day, the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) will launch its biennial flagship report, Planning Sustainable Cities: Global report on human settlements 2009 in Thailand on Thursday 15 October.
The launch features Mr. Vijai Amaralikt, Mayor of Pananikorn Municipality, Chairperson of Sub-committee on City Planning, National Municipal League of Thailand, who will share some of the strategies towards planning a sustainable city in Thailand. The launch intends to: raise the awareness of the importance of planning as an effective tool for sustainable urban development, with specific focus on the urban poor; share strategic visions and challenges for cities and towns in Thailand, towards planning a sustainable city; and announce the establishment of the UN-HABITAT office in Bangkok as part of the Regional Office for UN-HABITAT.
Background
This year’s global observance of World Habitat Day was hosted by the Obama Administration in Washington, D.C., where the global launch of the report took place.
Thailand is one of the most active countries to commemorate WHD with a series of events initiated by several communities. Some of the highlights of “World Habitat Month” include:
1-4 October — A photo exhibition on housing at Siam Paragon (Habitat for Humanity).
1-7 October — In honour of the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King, and as part of the celebration of World Habitat Day, the Baan Mankong Community Upgrading Program and community networks organized “Habitat Week in Thailand” by inaugurating more than 80 upgrading projects together with Ministers, Governors, Mayors, community networks and universities in 40 provinces. (Asian Coalition for Housing Rights — ACHR).
5 October — 1,800 Slum Dwellers from the Four Regions Slum Network (FRSN) and representatives from six countries of
the Leaders and Organizers of Community Organization in Asia (LOCOA) marched to the UN Building and submitted a petition calling for the
immediate end to all forced eviction and for governments and the international community to ensure adequate housing for the poor. The
petition was received by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UN Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCAP (ESCAP) on behalf of the Secretary-General.
12 October — A main observance of WHD jointly organized by the Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI) of Thailand and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), with a keynote address by H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand, and speeches by H.E. Mr. Issara Somchai, Minister of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand, and H.E. Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.
13 October — UN staff training workshop on Pro-poor Housing Approaches (ESCAP)
14 October — Field visits and exchanges of experiences and best practices of Thailand and Pakistan (ACHR and CODI)
15 October — Regional Workshop on Formation of a Regional Pro-poor Housing Finance Network in Asia jointly organized by the Government Housing Bank (GHB) and ESCAP, together with the launch of a special issue of the GH Bank Housing Journal focusing on pro-poor housing finance in the region, and exhibitions by GHB, the National Housing Authority (NHA), CODI, and Habitat for Humanity Thailand.
For more information please contact:
Ms. Mariko Sato
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
Tel: +66-2-288-2852
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Mitch Hsieh
UN/ESCAP Information Services
Tel: +66-2-288-1862
Email: [email protected]