In the framework of the <link http: www.gtf2016.org external-link-new-window externen link in neuem>Global Taskforce, Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat and Secretary-General of Habitat III and Kadir Topbaş, Mayor of Istanbul, President of UCLG and Chair of United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA), call all local and regional governments of the world to join the celebration.

It is the second global celebration since December 2013, when the General Assembly of the United Nations designated the last day of October World Cities Day. The aim of the day is to attract the international community’s attention to urbanization as a central issue for devel-opment, and to encourage cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing urban challenges towards sustainable development. 

The theme for this year is Designed to live together. The United Nations has selected this theme to remind us about the critical role that urbanization plays in our everyday lives and to celebrate the positive impact that well-managed urbanization can have on economic, social and environmental development.

This year’s <link http: urbanoctober.org external-link-new-window externen link in neuem>World Cities Day is of great significance to the United Nations and its local and regional government partners, as it takes place a month after the adoption of the<link https: sustainabledevelopment.un.org external-link-new-window externen link in neuem> Sustainable Development Goals, where the urban agenda is highlighted through Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. World Cities Day 2015 will also mark one year until the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders and the <link https: www.habitat3.org external-link-new-window externen link in neuem>Habitat III Conference, to be held in Bogotá and Quito respectively, in October 2016.