When did the World Habitat Day in United States of America start?
About World Habitat Day in United States of America Holiday
Today is World Habitat Day 2020, and the United States of America is proud to join with the United Nations in celebrating this global event. As part of the World Habitat programme, this day helps us to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic right of all people to adequate shelter.
From bustling cities to rural towns, America is home to an incredible variety of vibrant and diverse habitats. While some of these places are thriving, others face serious challenges such as poverty, pollution and lack of resources. On this World Habitat Day, we recognize the importance of sustainably managing our urban environments to ensure opportunity, health and well-being for all.
In the United States, World Habitat Day gives us an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the energy and creativity of those who work to make our cities more equitable and inclusive. We’re also dedicated to inspiring new ideas to foster sustainable growth and access to all of the benefits that living in vibrant, livable cities can bring. From sound policies and innovative infrastructure to vibrant public spaces, greenways and parks, let’s commit to ensuring that our cities remain safe, livable spaces for generations to come.
World Habitat Day in United States of America
History and Origin
World Habitat Day is a United Nations observance day, held annually on the first Monday of October. It is a day dedicated to honoring human settlements, as well as to raising awareness about the need for decent housing standards and the right to adequate housing. The day was founded in 1985 by the United Nations General Assembly and was proclaimed in 1987. It is celebrated yearly as a reminder to people of their responsibility for the future of the human habitat. The day is run by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
World Habitat Day is organized with the goal of encouraging a focus on the global state of human settlements and advocating for the “right to a least adequate shelter”. This right is enshrined in Article 25 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Throughout the years, the observance day has been used to highlight one of the global problems of our time, as 80% of the world’s population still lives in precarious housing conditions, or even worse, without a home.
The theme of World Habitat Day for 2019 is “Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste to wealth”. The theme calls on governments, development partners, and citizens, to use a combination of advanced construction services, green material technologies, as well as digital and urban waste technologies intended to reduce the environmental footprint of cities.
Significance and Meaning
The message of World Habitat Day is made more relevant in United States, a country that is home to more than 50 million people without access to a decent home and which in recent decades has seen a huge expansion of wealth inequality in terms of access to adequate housing. The celebration is intended as recognition of the importance of human settlements and an affirmation of the need for decent housing standards for all. It should serve as a sober reminder of the enormity of the challenge ahead, but also of the possibility of aiming for a more equal distribution of housing-access, in an effort to achieve a just society.
Traditions and Celebrations
Each year on World Habitat Day, UN agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders take part in coordinated initiatives in celebration of this observance day. World Habitat Day is traditionally celebrated throughout the United States with events focused on the issue of decent housing and the improvement of living standards. The most popular of these events are world-spanning campaigns like “Building a Home”, in which volunteers build homes and health clinics in poverty-stricken areas, or “Decent Housing Now”, a campaign organized by UN-Habitat to promote the role of housing in the development process.
However, celebrations of World Habitat Day vary from state to state, according to economic and political contexts. In some states, for example in New York and California, the focus lies on raising awareness through campaigns and public events such as fairs, concerts, parades, and marches. In other states, like Texas and Florida, the emphasis is on initiatives intended to provide housing to families in need, through private donations or government programs.
Geographical Spread
The celebration of World Habitat Day is most prominent on the East and West Coasts, where awareness events tend to be more frequent; however, there are initiatives related to this observance that are carried out throughout the whole country. For instance, in the Western state of Colorado, the University of Colorado has partnered with the Denver Housing Authority to host the “Colorado Housing Solutions Conference” for several years, now. The event has evolved into a platform intended to bring together organizations focused on creating, preserving and supporting access to affordable housing throughout the state.
In the Midwest, cities such as Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and Kansas City, have made an effort to call attention to the lack of adequate housing in their own communities. The city of Chicago has even developed a website, called “Chicago Housing Now”, where visitors can find stories about successful real estate developments driven by community activists, as well as resources and data-visuals which track the progress on housing-related issues.
And, in the Southern United States, World Habitat Day is celebrated in many different ways. Events in cities like Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Birmingham, and New Orleans often involve public protest marches, panel discussions, and urban redevelopment projects. For example, the Atlanta Housing Authority has recently completed a project which provides housing assistance to 1,800 families, in an area of the city which had been previously plagued by poverty and crime. In addition, the New Orleans Mutual Aid Network is a grassroots organization that has been providing affordable emergency housing to people living in post-Hurricane Katrina communities, since 2010.
Modern Day Observations
In recent years, World Habitat Day was celebrated in many different ways with this year’s theme emphasizing the innovative use of frontier technologies to transform waste into wealth and reduce the environmental footprint of cities. This is a direct result of the technological revolution we are currently living in, which has had a tremendous impact on the way we think about housing, and the way we go about solving the housing crisis.
New approaches have been focused on employing efficient strategies and technologies to reduce the costs associated with building and maintaining housing as well as to improve the quality of such housing. Moreover, many efforts have been made to rethink urban design, to highlight the need for “livability”, and to react to the changing climate that has been caused by rising global temperatures.
Interesting Facts or Trivia
• World Habitat Day was created in 1985, in order to highlight the issues of housing and human settlements.
• It is celebrated every year on the first Monday in October.
• The 2019 World Habitat Day Theme is “Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste to wealth.”
• The day is promoted by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
• In 2013, the General Assembly decided to establish the World Assembly on Human Settlements to support the long-term implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• The right to housing is enshrined in Article 25 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• According to the United Nations, an estimated one-third of the world’s population, amounting to an estimated 2.4 billion peoples, live in inadequate housing conditions.
• The 2018 World Habitat Day theme was “Municipal Solid Waste Management.”
• In 2018 the celebration of the World Habitat Day was held at Accra, Ghana.
• World Habitat Day is used to focus attention on the state of human settlements and to advocate for the “right to a least adequate shelter.”
Holiday Wishes
- I wish you many days of beautiful living in a wonderful home.
- Happy World Habitat Day. May we all take part in building a brighter and better future.
- May we all be blessed with the basic right of a safe and secure home.
- Wishing everyone a day full of positive thought on World Habitat Day.
- Wishing everyone on World Habitat Day a world created by our hands and filled with contentment and fulfillment.
Holiday Messages
- Let us join together in celebrating World Habitat Day and spread the awareness of delivering decent housing for all.
- Let us raise our voices and demand for the essential right to a least adequate shelter.
- Let each one of us join our hands and work together to bring meaningful solutions for the global crisis of housing.
- Let us pledge to stretch out our helping hand for building communities which are inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
- Let us make a commitment to support those facing uncertain conditions and work together to build a better future.
Holiday Quotes
- “No form of human suffering is more extreme than homelessness.” – Kitcollins
- “We all deserve decent housing, no matter who we are, where we come from, or what stage of life we’re in.” – Tony Mariano
- “Adequate and affordable housing is one of the most basic life necessities; and it’s one of the prerequisites for better living conditions, a better quality of life and the realization of one’s potential.” – Valentina Ravaglia
- “Homes make a foundation for life. That foundation is essential for a person’s growth and stability.” – Angela Scavone
- “Home is the foundation of who we are. Not just a physical building, but a place to love, learn, and grow.” – Aletha Maybank
Other Popular Holiday Info
World Habitat Day is seen as an opportunity to urge governments and societies to recognize and promote everyone’s right to adequate housing. This observance day intentionally draws attention to the global crisis of housing and celebrates the impact of decent and affordable housing on the wellbeing of families and communities. Furthermore, the day is often meant to highlight innovative approaches to addressing the housing crisis through the use of efficient construction services, green materials, and the exploration of insufficiently utilized urban waste technologies.
In recent years, people around the world have used World Habitat Day to discuss issues of housing, privatization, and social reform. Such conversations are intended to bring attention to the impact of poverty on human health and living standard, as well as to bring attention to the need for effective policies and solutions that ensure access to affordable and secure housing.
The observance day not only serves as a reminder of the global need for decent housing but also as an opportunity to highlight the positive impact of increased access to housing on communities and the individual quality of life. World Habitat Day should be celebrated as a reminder of our collective responsibility to create a more equitable future, one in which everyone can enjoy secure housing and the right to a least an adequate shelter.
World Habitat Day in United States of America Also Called
World Habitat Day in the United States of America is also referred to as National Habitat Day. On World Habitat Day, people come together to take action to improve the living conditions of those living in poverty. It is also an opportunity to recognize those working to ensure everyone has a safe and decent place to live. The day also serves as an educational tool to help individuals understand the importance of providing decent shelter for all people.Countries where "World Habitat Day in United States of America" is celebrated:
FUN FACT:
In year 1985, World Habitat Day in United States of America is celebrated on October 6 for the first time.HOLIDAY CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, please click here to contact us!

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