World Habitat Day 2026; October 5th.

FORUM: "Adequate Housing for All" World Habitat Day 2026. The world is facing a global housing crisis. More than 3 billion people lack access to adequate housing today. Furthermore, more than 1.1 billion people, continue to live in an informal settlement, and hundreds of millions are experiencing homelessness. This crisis is exacerbated by conflicts, disasters, and climate change, with individuals living in informal settlements facing the harshest impacts and having the least ability to recover. Housing is acknowledged as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Other than it being well established as a right that the world is yet to deliver, people facing the challenge of inadequate housing are also deprived of dignity, safety, stability and opportunity. The Global Observance of World Habitat Day 2026 builds on a renewed wave of political commitment to Adequate Housing. At the second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly, 2023 Member States adopted resolution2/7, which focuses on ensuring adequate housing for all, and resolution 2/2, which aims to transform informal settlements and slums. In these resolutions, Member States have urged UN-Habitat to strengthen its efforts in these important areas and UN Habitat launched the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Groupon Adequate Housing for All, as an intergovernmental process to help contribute to solving for this challenge. Further through the Pact for the Future, Member States have also committed to ensuring that everyone has access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing. This year also marks the first Urban October under UN-Habitat’s new Strategic Plan 2026–2029, which places housing, land and basic services at the centre of the organization’s mandate. The Baku Call to Action from the thirteenth World Urban Forum held in May 2026, emphasises the importance of a human rights approach to housing and encourages a shift from diagnosis to action. Housing is essential for achieving the SustainableDevelopment Goals. Making progress on both the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda is closely tied to our ability to provide adequate housing for everyone. World Habitat Day will highlight the importance of adequate housing for thriving communities and the actions needed to make it a reality. This requires targeted efforts for lower-income groups, people experiencing disasters, crisis and homelessness, and those most at risk of displacement. Success depends on how we plan and manage our cities, recognizing the social, economic and ecological functions of land, promoting secure land tenure, preventing urban sprawl, and ensuring housing is located within well-serviced, liveable neighbourhoods. Achieving adequate housing also requires diversifying how housing is produced and delivered, through social, public, rental, cooperative and community-led models alongside market-based solutions. Housing must be environmentally sustainable, climate resilient and culturally appropriate, while prioritizing the upgrading andtransformation of informal settlements to improve conditions for those most in need. Above all, these efforts rely on effective multilevel governance, supported by enabling policies and legislation, robust data, and adequate financing. The Global Observance, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman in Muscat, will kick off the Home & Building Expo and Urban October. It will provide a global platform for exchanging experiences, showcasing innovative approaches, and strengthening partnerships that advance the right to adequate housing in practice.  In line with UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and resolution 2/7 on adequate housing for all, the objectives of the World Habitat Day 2026 will: 1. Showcase innovative practices that advance adequate housing for all and recognise outstanding contributions through the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, one of the world’s most prestigious human settlements awards. 2. Reaffirm adequate housing as a human right and a cornerstone for achieving the SustainableDevelopment Goals and the New Urban Agenda. 3. Raise awareness of the drivers contributing to the global housing crisis, including unaffordability,informality, insecure tenure, climate impacts, displacement and inadequate conditions and highlight the ongoing gap between commitment and actual progress. 4. Promote dialogue on inclusive, integrated and holistic housing strategies that reach all households and all forms of tenure, with targeted efforts for those in the most vulnerable situations. 5. Highlight the central role of all levels of governments, effective multilevel governance, national urbanpolicies, housing law, well-planned, well-located compact neighbourhoods, in realising adequatehousing. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #WorldHabitatDay, #UrbanOctober, #urbancrisisresponse, #Right2Housing, #MindtheGap, #LeaveNoOneBehind, #adequatehousing.

EVENTS: On 5 October 2026, the Global Observance of World Habitat Day will be related to "Adequate Housing for All". The global housing crisis whereby an estimated 2.8 billion people face various forms of housing inadequacy, in which close to 1.1 billion reside in slums and informal settlements, calls for urgent and concerted action. World Habitat Day will consider how to realize the ambition of ensuring access to adequate housing for all as a cornerstone for achieving the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda. Register to participate!

AGENDA PROGRAMME OF THE GLOBAL OBSERVANCE OF WORLD HABITAT DAY 2026.

10.30 -11:00 ARRIVAL OF ATTENDEES (All guests to be seated by 11:00)
11:00 - 11:45 NATIONAL OBSERVANCE HIGH-LEVEL OPENING
11:45 - 12:30 GLOBAL OBSERVANCE HIGH-LEVEL OPENING

UN-HABITAT SCROLL OF HONOUR AWARDS: The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, launched in 1989, recognizes individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to urban development, including improving the quality of urban life for all and ensuring adequate, affordable, and accessible housing.

12:30 - 12:45 SIGNING CEREMONY FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
12:45 - 13:30 INAUGURATION OF THE EXPO
15:00 - 15:15 SCROLL OF HONOUR
15:15 - 16:00 MINISTERIAL SEGMENT
16:00 - 17:15 FLAGSHIP DIALOGUE: ADEQUATE HOUSING FOR ALL
17:15 - 17:30 CLOSING CEREMONY

Related Sites and Documents: Concept note & Agenda programme (pdf).

LIVESTREAM: Watch the World Habitat Day 2026 - "Adequate Housing for All" (Muscat, Oman) (Morning Session)!

ARRIVAL OF ATTENDEES (All guests to be seated by 11:00) 10.30 –11:00 

NATIONAL OBSERVANCE HIGH-LEVEL OPENING 11:00 – 11:45 

GLOBAL OBSERVANCE HIGH-LEVEL OPENING 11:45 – 12:30 

Opening address by master of ceremonies World Habitat Day 2026 video Video message from Nga Kor Ming, President of the United Nations Habitat Assembly and Minister of Housing and Local Government, Malaysia Message from António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, read by Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General and Executive-Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Welcome address by Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habita

SIGNING CEREMONY FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS 12:30 – 12:45 

UN-HABITAT SCROLL OF HONOUR AWARDS

 Introduction by master of ceremonies Award ceremony • Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan, representing the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency, Lahore, Pakistan • Htoo Aung, representing Housing NOW, Bago, Myanmar • Thiago Bauermann Gubert representing Aldeia do Espraiado - Tekoa Ara Hovy: Brazil’s First Indigenous village established by a Brazilian Municipality • Abdelmalek Ghannem, Bizerte, Tunisia • Sadiq Khan, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

INAUGURATION OF THE EXPO 12:45 – 13:30

MINISTERIAL SEGMENT 15:00 – 15:45

FLAGSHIP DIALOGUE: ADEQUATE HOUSING FOR ALL 15:45 – 17:00 

MODERATOR: Rania Hedeya, Director, Regional Office for Arab States, UN-Habitat 

PANELISTS: • Elena Carolina Díaz Galán, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights • Dr Asmus Hammerich, WHO Representative to Oman • Melani Penjani Chirwa, Programmes Coordinator, Slum Dwellers International (SDI) • Rony Lahoud, General Director, Public Corporation for Housing, Lebanon • Sultan Barakat, Professor of Public Policy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar Foundation) and Honorary Professor, University of York • Partha Mukhopadhyay, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, India • Wendy Werner, World Bank Group Country Manager for Oman CLOSING CEREMONY 17:00 – 17:20 

Closing session by the master of ceremonies Closing remarks, TBC Closing remarks by Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat Group photo session

World Teachers’ Day 2026; October 5th.

 

FORUM: “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures”. World Teachers’ Day 2026. The year 2026 will mark the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. We will celebrate progress in recognizing teachers’ vital role, we will highlight the challenges the profession continues to face, and we will call on society and policymakers to protect, promote and elevate its status. Especially the case today, as the world needs 50 million more teachers to achieve SDG 4 by 2030. Sixty years after the adoption of the Recommendation, World Teachers’ Day 2026 provides an opportunity to ask how societies envision the purposes of education today, the role of teachers in achieving them, and the obstacles to realising these purposes and enabling teachers to fulfil their role. At a time when the Recommendation is being revised, World Teachers’ Day will examine how effective policies are in elevating the status of teachers; whether these policies are negotiated through social dialogue and collective bargaining with teachers and their representatives; and the quality and availability of data and evidence used to ascertain teachers’ “status” and determine policy actions. Building on the call of the first World Summit on Teachers and its outcome document, the Santiago Consensus, adopted in August 2025, World Teachers’ Day 2026 will also celebrate teachers’ work and the progress enabled by the Recommendation, while considering its limitations, including challenges in monitoring and implementation. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Teachers, #WorldTeachersDay, #5October, #valuingteachervoices, #teaching, #teachingasacollaborativeprofession, #teachthem.

EVENTS: On October 5th at UNESCO HQ, from 8:00 to 06:30 pm GMT will be held the the World teacher's day 2026 and the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize. Co-convened by UNESCO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF and Education International, the celebration will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and will be opened by UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. It will bring together teachers, ministers of education, policymakers, academics, young people, teacher organizations, education partners and institutions from around the world. 

The 2026 event will have three main objectives: 

(i) celebrate World Teachers’ Day, drawing the attention of decision-makers and the international community to the chosen theme by sharing data, analyses and knowledge about the facts and challenges related to teacher status around the world, as well as promising strategies for addressing these challenges; 

(ii) advocate for changes in teacher status by calling on relevant actors to take action to address the challenges facing the profession; 

(iii) recognise innovations and promising practices in teacher professional development through theawarding of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development.

The programme will feature high-level discussions on protecting and advancing the teaching profession, opportunities for teachers and members of the public to interact and share their perspectives, and a performance by a teachers’ choir. The day will also include the award ceremony for the ninth edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development. Read the concept note, the agenda programme and  Register to participate!

Provisional programme 

Time (UTC+2)                                Session 

08:30 – 09:10 Welcome coffee World Teachers’ Day ceremony 

09:10 – 09:50 Welcome message and musical interlude Opening remarks by the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Khaled El-Enany Interactive activity with the audience Keynote by Prof Gert Biesta, Professor of Education, University of Melbourne, and Adjunct Professor, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, on the 60th anniversary of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966)

09:50 – 10:45 Panel discussion with the co-conveners of World Teachers’ Day - Mr Qun Chen, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO - Ms Vera Paquete-Perdigão, Director of Labour Governance & Sectoral Policies Department, ILO - Ms Brenda Haiplik, Global Lead Teacher Development and Workforce, UNICEF - Mr David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International Musical interlude.

- UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development award ceremony-

10:45 – 12:30 Opening remarks by UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Mr Qun Chen Presentation of the 10 finalists’ teacher development programmes - Recognition of the International Jury - Video celebrating the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize - Thematic discussions with the 10 Prize finalists Remarks by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates Announcement of the three laureates.

13:00 – 14:30 High-level lunch (by invitation only) 

- Afternoon panel discussion -

15:00 – 17:00 Rethinking and elevating the status of teachers: Thematic conversation with Ministers of Education, teachers and international experts 

17:00 – 17:30 Visit to the exhibition of finalists’ projects 

17:30 – 19:00 Closing reception of World Teachers’ Day 2026

The international event will include two key moments: (1) a morning session featuring the official World Teachers’ Day commemoration and the award ceremony for the 9th edition of the UNESCO Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, including a discussion with the 10 finalists on their innovative approaches and projects; and (2) an afternoon session featuring a high-level discussion with Ministers of Education and international experts on policy solutions to elevate the status of teachers and support the transformation of the teaching profession. 

International Day of Peace 2026; September 21st.

FORUM: “Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.” International Day of Peace 2026. Today, amidst staggering volatility, the search for peace feels overwhelming—but it has never been more urgent. Peace is more than the absence of war; it is the foundation necessary to collectively tackle humanity’s challenges. It is the lived experience of safety, dignity, opportunities and cooperation in our daily lives. This year’s International Day of Peace honours the 'everyday architects of peace'—people driving local action, laying the groundwork for stability, and building a lasting peace from the ground up. Remember, peace isn’t just built in conference rooms—it is shaped by everyone, everywhere, every day. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Peaceday, #sustainingpeace, #InternationalDayofPeace, #21September.

EVENTS: On Monday September 21st, 2026, the world marks the International Day of Peace.

On Monday, September 21st will held at United Nations Headquarters, a ceremony under the theme ''Invest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day '' to observe the International Day of Peace 2026. This year's theme focuses on honoring local community builders and everyday people who create stability and cooperation. Peace is more than the absence of war. It is a daily practice of safety, dignity, and inclusion. Several events are being held throughout the world to observe the Day. The Peace Bell Ceremony will be Held at the UN headquarters in New York, where leaders ring the bell and observe a minute of silence. The United Nations calls on all combatants worldwide to observe a 24-hour cessation of hostilities and violence. Communities, schools, and youth groups host "Peace Circles" and educational events. Register to participate!

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Peace 2026; September 21st.

As we mark the International Day of Peace, we face a world where this vital asset is in dangerously short supply.

Communities are shaken by violence and division.

Conflicts are growing in scale and complexity, spilling across borders and inflicting enormous suffering.

Dialogue is faltering, solutions are elusive and global solidarity is missing in action.

But around the world, people are showing that we are not powerless.

Volunteers, advocates, civil society leaders, peacekeepers and peacemakers are bridging divides, uniting communities and pushing for dialogue.

Action by action, they are building peace from the ground up.

Like this year’s theme — “Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day” — these champions of peace are showing us that achieving peace is not passive or automatic.

It’s an active and deliberate choice to invest in a better future.

By building inclusive communities where peace can take hold.

By investing in sustainable development — in people’s health, education, nutrition and social protection.

By bridging divides and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard.

By safeguarding the human rights and dignity that belong to every person.

And by strengthening the proven tools of peace — diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping.

On this International Day of Peace, let us all be inspired by the courage of those who champion peace in neighbourhoods, classrooms and communities.

And let’s call on world leaders to invest in a peaceful future for all people.

António Guterres.

Secretary-General's remarks at the UN Peace Bell Ceremony

Each year, the toll of the Peace Bell reminds us of the most important and consequential job we have:

Building peace.

Peace is never a passive achievement.

Peace is hard work.

Peace is action.

But in our world today, action for peace is faltering.

Violence and division are tearing apart communities.

Conflicts are widening and deepening.

People are suffering.

And the dialogue and solidarity that solutions require are missing in action.

But where governments are failing to deliver peace, people are showing another way.

Around the world, volunteers, advocates, civil society leaders, peacekeepers and peacemakers are doing the heavy lifting of peace.

Raising their voices.

Bridging divides.

Healing communities.

Through their actions, large and small, they are bringing to life the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace: “Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.”

As world leaders prepare to gather at the United Nations in the coming weeks, I urge them to follow the lead of these champions of peace.

By investing in sustainable development — in people’s health, education, nutrition and social protection.

By building institutions and systems that people can trust.

By safeguarding the human rights and dignity that belong to every person.

By re-committing to the proven tools of peace — diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping.

And by ending wars and conflicts. Now.

Today, I call on world leaders to stand with us:

Take action;

Invest in solutions;

And do the hard work of building lasting, sustainable peace.

This is the last time I will ring the Peace Bell.

But I will always stand with the champions of peace around the world.

Thank you.

António Guterres, 9 September 2026.

Secretary-General's 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace message

In a world rocked by conflict, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. But all around us are everyday architects of peace – from volunteers to campaigners and civil society leaders – showing us how to take action to reshape our communities for the better.

Over the next 100 days, as we count down to the International Day of Peace, let us honour these changemakers – and take inspiration from their example.

Peace is not just made at conference tables, but in classrooms, neighbourhoods, and everywhere people meet with open minds and open hearts. Together, day by day, we can build a more just world, with compassion, equality and dignity for all.

António Guterres,

13 June 2026.

TAKE ACTION: Everyone, everywhere can do their part for peace. Take one small step for peace every day:

Give your time to help someone else.
Lend your voice to drive positive change.
Host a Peace Circle - an intergeneration youth-led conversation on solutions.
Use your platform to promote a cause or tell a story of peace and hope

Show us how you're building the architecture of peace and justice using #InvestInPeace.

Actions for peace

Here are some activities you can consider and help raise awareness about peace and global goals.

1. Act Now for Our Common Future through social media.

Promote and participate in the Act Now 1 Million Actions for Our Common Future campaign. Download the app, select the campaign, and log your action to Speak up for Peace.

2. Launch a digital awareness campaign for peace.

3. Organize a peace walk or run.

4. Hold a “Sports Day for Peace”.

5. Host a peace-themed film night.

6. Volunteer for a peace organization.

7. Tend to a community garden for peace.

8. Host a peace concert in your community.

9. Organize an exhibit of art for peace.

10. Spearhead an environmental clean up effort.

11. Write a poem for peace.


Definitions from the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace

Cultivating a Culture of Peace:

A culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions and modes of behaviour and ways of life based on:

(a) Respect for life, ending of violence and promotion and practice of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation;

(b) Full respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States and non-intervention in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law;

(c) Full respect for and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(d) Commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts;

(e) Efforts to meet the developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations;

(f) Respect for and promotion of the right to development;

(g) Respect for and promotion of equal rights and opportunities for women and men;

(h) Respect for and promotion of the right of everyone to freedom of expression, opinion and information;

(i) Adherence to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations; and fostered by an enabling national and international environment conducive to peace.

COMMUNICATION ASSETS: Download International Day of Peace 2026 promotional material on Trello

ActNow for A Peaceful World

Explore what you can do for peace.

Join the 1 Million Actions for Our Common Future campaign.
Find out how you can be part of the UN Summit of the Future.
Download the UN ActNow app and log your actions for peace!

LIVESTREAM: Watch the United Nations Peace Bell Ceremony on the occasion of the International Day of Peace 2026.

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. The Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly will celebrate the International Day of Peace in the Peace Garden at United Nations Headquarters by ringing the Peace Bell and observing a minute of silence.

World Cleanup Day 2026; September 20th.

FORUM: ''From Clean Plates to Clean Cities.'' United Nations World Cleanup Day 2026. This year’s global observance will focus on food waste, one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide. It was estimated that1.1B people live in informal settlements, monitored that between 8–10% of global GHG emissions are from food waste, and about 1B+meals are wasted daily Every day, more than 1 billion meals are wasted globally, while millions of people continue to face hunger and lack basic services. Food waste places enormous pressure on waste systems, contributes to climate change, wastes land and water resources, and represents a missed opportunity to build more resilient and equitable systems. During this observance we will focus on the urgent need to: Raise awareness and encourage everyday habits that reduce waste; to Promote responsible production, purchasing and consumption practices; to Strengthen local food recovery, organic waste and circular economy systems; to Advance partnerships and policies that support resilient and resource-efficient cities and to Encourage waste separation, redistribution, composting and recovery of organic waste. What’s your go-to habit for wasting less food at home?.This year, we will Showcase #innovativepolicies, technologies and partnerships that #accelerateaction on #foodwasteprevention, #circulareconomy & #sustainableurbandevelopment.

EVENTS: On Sunday, September 20th, 2026, people around the world unite for World Cleanup Day. It is a global movement that goes beyond cleaning up waste and aims to address the systems that generate it. The global observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 will take place on 20 September 2026. The event will provide a platform for international dialogue, knowledge-sharing and partnership-building to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda —advancing more resource-efficient, resilient and inclusive cities. The city host is the city of📍 Shaoxing, in the Zhejiang Province, in China.

Food waste fuels the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Food loss and waste account for an estimated 8-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and food waste alone contributes significantly to methane emissions from disposal sites. These impacts are felt most acutely in cities, where inadequate waste management and growing volumes of waste place additional pressure on urban infrastructure and public health. For the more than 1.1 billion people living in informal settlements and slums, the consequences are particularly severe, increasing exposure to pollution, disease, flooding and other climate-related risks. Addressing food waste is therefore not only an environmental imperative but also an important step towards building healthier, more resilient and more equitable cities. By reducing food waste, World Cleanup Day supports progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and more circular and resilient urban food systems. Get the agenda programme!

Statement of the United Nations Under Secretary General Li Shaoxing on World Cleanup Day 2026.

Excellencies, distinguished participants, it is my great honor to address the global observance of the world clean update 2026.

Today we focused on vital road of the cities and citizens in tackling west challenges and advancing the transition towards a circular economy.

I thank the government of China our host city of Shiaoing UN Habitat and all partners for bringing us together around an issue so fundamental to protecting and sustaining our planet's ecosystems.

We meet at a critical moment. With only four years remaining until 2030, the global community faces profound sustainable development challenges. According to the latest 2026 SDG progress report, progress remains deeply uneven across the goals and among countries, severely hampered by compounding shocks, interconnected crisis and escalating conflicts.

In addition, unmet financing targets risk putting many SDGs targets beyond reach. Yet, if there is one lesson from the first decade of implementing the 2030 agenda, it is these challenges are not merely problems to be managed.

They are catalysts to transform. They demand a fundamental transformation which will reshape our societies, our economies and our relationship with the planet. This transformation will not happen in isolation. It requires the underlying commitment, creativity and the leadership of the governments, international organizations, development banks, the private sector, academia, civil society, youth representatives, and many others around the world.

The theme of this year's water cleanup day, from clean plate to clean city, highlights a critical entry point for real progress. Transitioning to a circular society, allows us to build a sustainable model that harmonizes economic growth with environmental stewardship. Excellencies, my department, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, is deeply honored to lead and coordinate many of these efforts, working closely with the broader UN system and partners worldwide.

Together, we can forge a future where the resources are valued rather than discarded, where the waste is eliminated by design, and where our economies and ecosystems shrived together.

By leveraging digital innovation, artificial intelligence and a smart urban infrastructure, we can build clean, green and resilient cities. Let elevate the quality of life for all people. Let us act with ambition, solidarity and determination this moment demands. We are working to ensure that the 2030 agenda delivers meaningful lasting change for present and future generations.

Thank you.

United Nations Under Secretary General Li Shaoxing.

Statement by the UN-Habitat Executive Director on World Cleanup Day 2026.

Around 1/3 of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. Food loss and waste account for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, placing immense pressure on [music] our climate, natural resources, and municipal waste systems. As we mark World Cleanup Day 2026, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the city of Shiaoeng for hosting this year's global observance. I commend the leadership in advancing practical solutions, demonstrating how cities can drive innovation, collaboration, and collective action towards more sustainable urban futures.

I also want to recognize the extraordinary World Cleanup Day Movement. Last year alone, around 25 million volunteers in more than 190 countries and territories came together to clean their [music] communities, demonstrating the power of collective action. This year's theme, from clean plates to clean cities, reminds us that the journey to sustainable cities starts at home. The choices we make in our [music] kitchens and communities shape the way our cities function. Young people, community groups, and citizens are leading this transformation through everyday actions that inspire change. At UN Habitat, we see waste as part of a larger urban ecosystem. Waste is reduced when cities are well planned, when essential services are accessible, and when communities are actively engaged. Yet too many people, particularly 1 billion people living in informal settlements and slums, still lack regular waste collection and basic services. Addressing the global housing crisis and improving access to basic services and resilient infrastructure are essential to building cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive cities.

City governments are at the forefront of action. They design [music] and oversee waste management, regulate services, and work directly with communities. National governments play a critical role in [music] creating policies, incentives, and investments needed to scale solutions. Equally important is cooperation across cities and regions.

Networks of cities can accelerate progress by sharing solutions, [music] scaling innovation, and learning from one another. This is why bringing cities together to exchange knowledge, strengthen capacity, and support the development of solutions for waste management and the circular economy [music] is important. We already see inspiring examples. Cities are recovering surplus food, reducing waste, and turning organic waste into compost and energy. Communities, including informal workers, waste pickers, and local entrepreneurs, are leading innovations that create jobs while protecting the environment by keeping materials in use for longer, recovering valuable resources and [music] reducing waste as at its source. The secular economy helps cities cut emissions, strengthen resilience, and create new economic opportunities.


By acting at every level, from households to neighborhoods, cities and national policies, we can turn waste] into opportunity. Let us move from clean plates to clean cities, from awareness to action, embracing circular solutions that value resources rather than discard them. Building communities that are cleaner, healthier, [music] and more resilient for everyone.

UN-Habitat Executive Director.

Happy 9th World Cleanup Day 2026! A message to our global family.

TAKE ACTION: Simple habits to cut food waste at home.

GET INVOLVED!

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: Discoverthe posters and toolkits and other assets ob theTrello board!

International Equal Pay Day 2026; Septembre 18th.

FORUM: “Equal Pay for work of equal value — For everyone, everywhere.” International Equal Pay Day 2026. During the day, we will celebrate achievements and discuss the challenges on the way to achieving equal pay as well as provide an opportunity for you to make a new equal pay pledge. Across all regions, women are paid less than men, with the gender pay gap estimated at around 20% globally. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls continue to be held back owing to the persistence of historical and structural unequal power relations between women and men, poverty and inequalities and disadvantages in access to resources and opportunities that limit women’s and girls’ capabilities. Progress on narrowing that gap has been slow. While equal pay for men and women has been widely endorsed, applying it in practice has been difficult. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promote decent work and economic growth by seeking full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. Mainstreaming of a gender perspective is crucial in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achieving equal pay is an important milestone for human rights and gender equality. It takes the effort of the entire world community and more work remains to be done. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #EqualPayDay, #GenerationEquality, #SDG5, #EqualPay and #18September.

EVENTS: You are invited attend a High-Level Pledging Event to mark International Equal Pay Day 2026 on September 18th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm EDT organized by the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), which is led by the International Labour Organization , the UN Women, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). During the observance of the International Equal Pay Day, the ILO is reaffirming a fundamental principle: work of equal value deserves equal pay. The participants are invited to share lessons learned and good practices that can be adapted and applied to different contexts.

Statement from the ILO Director-General on International Equal Pay Day 2026; Septembre 10th.

On International Equal Pay Day, the ILO reiterates a simple but fundamental principle: work of equal value deserves equal pay.

Yet women around the world earn 18 per cent less than men.

This is not just a statistic. It is millions of women whose work supports families, businesses, communities and economies, but who are still not being paid fairly.

This must change.

Together, governments, employers and workers can remove the structural barriers that underpin this injustice and strengthen the laws and institutions that promote equal pay. And through social dialogue, including collective bargaining, they can address the undervaluation of work done by women, strengthen pay transparency, build fairer wage structures, and ensure that women have an equal voice in shaping their economic life.

The world of work is changing profoundly. But our principles remain steadfast.

The new Resolution concerning the ILO transformative agenda for gender equality in the world of work only confirms our determination to close the gender pay gap.

Equal pay is a matter of rights, principle, dignity and social justice – for every worker, everywhere.

ILO Director-general.

Statement of the UN Women on the celebration of the International Equal Pay Day 2026; Septembre 18th.

The gender pay gap affects far more than a pay cheque. It means lower lifetime earnings, less economic security, smaller pensions, and greater inequality across generations. And for many women – including migrant women, women with disabilities, and women from racial and ethnic minorities – the gap can be even wider.

Equal pay for work of equal value is therefore critical for reducing poverty, advancing women’s economic justice and rights, and building more inclusive economies globally.

This year has brought renewed momentum. At the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, governments, employers, workers, and private-sector leaders renewed commitments to tackling the structural barriers holding women back at work. The adoption in June of ILO Convention no. 193, the first international labour standard on decent work in the platform economy, holds the potential for stronger protections for women working through digital platforms – from unfair pay, harassment, and discrimination to opaque algorithmic decisions.

Through the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), UN Women, ILO, and OECD continue to work with governments, employers, workers’ organizations, and other partners to turn commitments on equal pay into action.

At a time of economic uncertainty and widening inequality, equal pay is not only a matter of justice. It strengthens families, economies, and societies.

As the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly opens in New York, UN Women reaffirms its commitment to women’s economic empowerment as a cornerstone of our Strategic Plan 2026–2029.

Closing the gender pay gap is possible. What is needed now is action – to ensure that every woman is valued equally for work of equal value.

World Patient Safety Day 2026; Septembert 17th.

FORUM: “Safe Care for people with Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs)” World Patient Safety Day 2026. This year, we will raise awareness of patient safety and mobilize action to reduce avoidable harm in health care. The theme for 2026 is recognizing that people living with NCDs—including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases—require continuous, lifelong care across multiple health care settings, creating numerous opportunities for safety risks and avoidable harm. Globally, approximately one in ten patients experience harm during health care, and nearly half of these events are preventable. Individuals with NCDs are particularly vulnerable due to frequent interactions with health services, complex treatment regimens, multiple medications, and transitions between levels of care. Fragmented services, diagnostic errors, medication-related harm, inadequate follow-up, and inequitable access to quality care can adversely affect health outcomes and increase the burden on health systems. In the Americas, NCDs account for approximately 6 million deaths annually and are the leading cause of mortality and disability. More than 240 million people in the Region live with at least one NCD, making delivery of safe, quality, and people-centered care a critical public health priority. Strengthening patient safety within NCD services is therefore essential to achieving universal health coverage, improving health outcomes, and advancing resilient, integrated health systems. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #17September, #worldpatientSafetyDay, #PatientSafety, #HealthForAll, #Engagingpatients.

EVENTS: On September 17th, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Patient Safety Day 2026 will beobserved. 

About the webinar: In the context of World Patient Safety Day 2026, this regional webinar, jointly organized by the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) and the Department of Health Systems and Services (HSS) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), will bring together key stakeholders from across the Region of the Americas to exchange experiences, good practices, and lessons learned on patient safety in the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases, promoting safer, higher-quality, and people-centered care.
Target audience 

Ministries of Health; patient safety and quality teams; noncommunicable disease (NCD) program managers; primary health care professionals; academic institutions; patient organizations; development partners; and civil society organizations.

To learn more about the World Patient Safety Day 2026 campaign, its key messages, and communication materials, please visit the official campaign webpage.


Objective

• Increase awareness of patient safety risks associated with NCD care.
• Promote strategies to reduce preventable harm related to diagnosis, medication use, care transitions, and long-term management of chronic conditions.
• Highlight the role of patients, families, communities, and health workers as partners in improving safety and quality of care for people living with NCDs.
• Encourage policymakers, health system leaders, and health professionals to integrate patient safety principles into NCD-related policies, programs, and service delivery models.

 
Agenda Programme

Moderator: Silvana Luciani, Unit Chief, Noncommunicable Diseases, Violence and Injury Prevention, PAHO11:00 a.m. Opening RemarksDr. James Fitzgerald, Director, Health Systems and Services, PAHO
11:05 a.m. Highlights of global systematic review and WHO campaign for patient safety for people living with NCDsDr. Alarcos Cieza, Unit Head, Management of NCDs, WHO
11:25 a.m. Overview of patient safety in the Americas and PAHO recommendations for safe and quality health systemsDr. Gustavo Rosell, Advisor, Integrated Health Services Delivery, PAHO
11:45 a.m. Panel of country and organizational experiences with improving patient safety and quality, with a focus on people with NCDsMexico: Dr. Laura Cortés Sanabria, Directorate of Education and Quality in Health, Ministry of Health
Brazil: National Patient Safety Program
WONCA: Dr. María Pilar Astier, Working Party on Quality and Safety
International Diabetes Federation: Prof. Pablo Arias, President of the SACA region
12:15 p.m. Interactive session of questions and answers with participants
12:25 p.m. Closing remarksDr. Ernesto Báscolo, Unit Chief, Primary Health Care and Integrated Services Delivery, PAHO

How to participate
DATE: Thursday, 17 September 2026
TIME: 11.00 – 12.30 (Washington, D.C. time)
OTHER TIME ZONES: Buenos Aires, Brasilia (12.00–13.30), Mexico City (9.00–10.30), Bogota, Kingston, Lima, Panama City (10.00–11.30).
PLATFORM: ZOOM (with registration)
LANGUAGES: Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
REGISTER

Light It Orange for Patient Safety & Health System Safety!

For the first time Aotearoa Is lighting Up for World Patient Safety Day
17 September 2026 will be a little different in Aotearoa New Zealand

World Patient Safety Day is a Global Day of Recognition and action, established by the World Health Organization to bring patients, families, health workers, health leaders, policymakers and communities together around a shared goal: reducing avoidable harm in healthcare. It is marked internationally every year on 17 September.

This year, Aotearoa is not simply acknowledging the day. We are showing up!

Led by the Health Consumer Advocacy Alliance, Patient Voice Aotearoa and Kaitiaki Hauora, 2026 will see New Zealand's first nationwide coordinated, patient and whānau-led World Patient Safety Day campaign. And there is already real momentum behind it.

Health organisations, health workers, patients, whānau and communities are finding ways to take part. Some will wear orange. Others are making patient safety visible in their workplaces and communities. Organisations across the country are getting involved, and the campaign continues to grow.

Light It Orange!

On 17 September, landmarks across Aotearoa will be illuminated in orange, joining a global movement of landmarks, buildings and public spaces lighting up to demonstrate a shared commitment to safer healthcare. Auckland's Sky Tower and landmarks in Wellington, Tauranga, Whangārei and Dunedin are already confirmed to take part, with more expected to join. These lights will create powerful images, but the real story is the people behind them. People whose lives have been changed by preventable harm. Patients and whānau who have had experiences they never expected to have. Health professionals who know that safer systems are possible. And decision-makers who have the opportunity to listen and act. View PDF version hereµ