This year’s theme is “People-Centered Smart Cities.” The announcement was made at a press conference in the Colombian capital, attended by representatives from the city and UN-Habitat.

World Cities Day is celebrated annually to recognize the achievements of cities in responding to the most pressing global challenges. It is estimated that by 2050, nearly 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas, implying increased demand for adequate housing, services, infrastructure, and climate resilience, while raising important questions about social equity and inclusion.

Bogotá. Photo credit: UN-Habitat.

“We are proud to celebrate World Cities Day 2025 in Bogotá, a city that exemplifies how innovation can serve people and communities. This is a moment to come together, recognize urban progress, and reaffirm our shared commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered cities,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, executive director of UN-Habitat.

“The global celebration in Bogotá will be a unique opportunity to foster international dialogue on people-centered smart cities, where technology and data serve to improve quality of life, strengthen citizen participation, and bring communities closer to adequate housing,” said Elkin Velásquez, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“For Bogotá, hosting World Cities Day is both an honor and a great responsibility. We will welcome the world with a city that puts people at the center and demonstrates that it is possible to build resilience, sustainability, and inclusion through trust and citizen participation,” said Carlos Fernando Galán, mayor of Bogotá.

Bogotá was selected for its efforts to integrate inclusion, resilience, and sustainability into urban development. The city has implemented policies that promote social inclusion, access to housing, sustainable mobility, and climate action, while adopting approaches that leverage data and citizen participation to improve public services and quality of life.

World Cities Day 2025 launch event, from Bogotá, Colombia

The 2025 edition of World Cities Day will be the second time the global celebration has been held in Latin America, following its commemoration in Quito in 2016 during Habitat III. Previous host cities include Shanghai, Yekaterinburg, Liverpool, Luxor, and Alexandria.

The event will bring together representatives from national and local governments, United Nations agencies, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector. Participants will share lessons learned, best practices, and practical approaches to strengthening cities’ role as drivers of sustainable development.

World Cities Day marks the close of Urban October, a month-long campaign led by UN-Habitat that mobilizes people and organizations worldwide to promote dialogue and action for more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities.

Photo credit: UN-Habitat