Shanghai to Host Global Conference on Sustainable Urban Development

The 2025 World Cities Day Global Conference on Urban Sustainable Development will take place in Shanghai on October 26-27.

The event, to be held at the Grand Halls on the North Bund in Hongkou District, will focus on how cities can grow through innovation and technology while keeping people's needs at the center.

The theme of the conference is "Innovative Development Toward People-Centered Smart Cities." It will be co-hosted by the Shanghai government and UN-Habitat, and organized by the Shanghai Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission.

This year's conference will include a main session, three themed meetings, and several smaller events.

The main session will bring together senior officials from China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, city leaders, representatives from UN-Habitat, international organizations, and mayors from other countries. Leading global experts will also give keynote speeches on urban sustainability.

The three themed meetings will cover livable cities and housing, green and resilient development, and digital innovation in city governance.

The sessions will highlight key challenges cities face in balancing economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection.

Other meetings will provide a platform for deeper discussion on specific issues such as technology-driven urban planning, livable neighborhoods, cultural heritage, and regional cooperation.

For the first time, the conference will host a Women and the Future of Cities Dialogue to explore gender equality and the role of women in shaping sustainable cities.

According to Liu Qianwei, chief engineer of the commission, the conference will also release two sets of outcomes that reflect progress in urban innovation.

The first set includes new editions of international public reports jointly produced by Shanghai and UN-Habitat, such as the 2025 Shanghai Manual, the Shanghai Index Application Report, and the Shanghai Report.

These publications aim to share practical examples that other cities can learn from when working toward the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The second set of results will highlight innovative urban construction projects developed through cooperation between government, universities, and industry.

They include new sustainable building materials, smart construction systems, and technology applications for better city management.

Ying Sheng, head of UN-Habitat's China Office, said that Shanghai and UN-Habitat have been working together to promote three major global tools for sustainable urban growth – the Shanghai Award for Global Sustainable Cities, the Shanghai Manual, and the Shanghai Index.

These tools help cities measure progress, share experiences, and find solutions that can be adapted to different local conditions.

The main global celebration of World Cities Day will take place on October 31 in Bogotá, Colombia, where the third Shanghai Award ceremony will be held.

English versions of the 2025 Shanghai Manual and the Shanghai Index Report will also be released there.

On November 1, Shanghai and UN-Habitat will co-host a special forum focusing on the Shanghai Award and other urban sustainability topics.

The Shanghai Award recognizes cities that have made strong progress in achieving SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities. This year marks the second time the award will be presented outside China.