World Habitat Day 2023: Date, history, significance

World Habitat Day 2023: Everyone has the basic right to have a habitat and a house of their own. The state of the house, the atmosphere we live in and the environment that surrounds us has a lot to do with the way we think and the way we live. The way our ambience and home impacts us is important to consider when we speak of our habitat. Every year, World Habitat Day is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of having a habitat or a home of our own and discuss important aspects of them, with reference to the impact they have on us.

This year, as we gear up to celebrate World Habitat Day, here are a few things to keep in mind:

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Date:

Every year, World Habitat Day is celebrated on the first Monday of the month of October. This year, World Habitat Day falls on October 2.

History:

In 1986, the first World Habitat Day was celebrated in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of that year's World Habitat Day was – Shelter is my right. For this year, the theme is - Resilient urban economies. Cities as drivers of growth and recovery. "Given the size of the contribution of cities to the national economy, the future of many countries will be determined by the productivity of their urban areas. Cities are the engines creating the value that boosts economic recovery. For this economic growth and recovery to be sustainable, we need cities that can absorb, recover, and prepare for future economic shocks [OECD, 2023]. It is crucial that this is also packaged under the green recovery framework that scales up private and public investments to finance the transition to a climate-neutral economy in a post-COVID world," wrote united Nations on the official website.

Significance:

On this day, people raise awareness of the rights of people to have their own homes. The importance of environmental conservation is also discussed. The need for proper houses for everyone is also discussed on this day.