The Report on the Application of the "Shanghai Index" in Shandong in the Context of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Weihai Handbook: Global Community Sustainability Report are released at the opening ceremony of a celebration event for the World Cities Day in Weihai, Shandong province on Saturday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Officials from both home and abroad have called to beef up global collaboration, to cope with the housing crisis that has been worsened by climate change and regional conflicts.
They made the remarks in a celebration event for World Cities Day in Weihai, Shandong province on Saturday under the theme of "Build People-Centered Cities for Better Life".
Initiated by the Chinese government in 2010, the World Cities Day falls annually on Oct 31. The world started to celebrate the Day in 2014, following its official endorsement by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013.
Addressing the opening ceremony for the Weihai event, Anacláudia Rossbach, the executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), lauded the Day as "a very crucial global platform from China to the world".
The Weihai Initiative,which focuses on building and sharing the city together, is issued at the opening ceremony of a celebration event for the World Cities Day in Weihai, Shandong province on Saturday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Noting great challenges the world is facing in addressing climate change, overcoming poverty and humanitarian crisis, she said all these challenges are connected with the global housing crisis.
She said she welcomes the partnership with China, as well as the partnership with Shandong and Weihai, to use the event to maximize wisdom and exchange and share knowledge, expertise, and experiences.
"Over the past few decades, China has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for sustainable development," she said.
Weihai, awarded with the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour in 2003, exemplifies Shandong's accelerated urban development initiatives centered on creating cities that prioritize the well-being of their inhabitants. Shandong province has been actively implementing a people-centered urbanization strategy, with four cities in the region recognized with the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour.
The event in Weihai is co-hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the UN-Habitat, and the Shandong government.
Lasting from Saturday to Monday, the occasion is expected to draw over 2,000 participants from more than 30 countries and regions.
