In December 1985, the United Nations designated the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day. This year, the theme of World Habitat Day is Cities and Climate Change.  The purpose of World Habitat Day is to:

• Call attention to the current global state of the human habitat.
• Push toward adequate housing for all.
• Dismantle and alter the systems that reinforce and entrench poverty housing.
• Make an affordable, decent place to live a reality for all.

This year, Habitat for Humanity will engage in a series of special activities over six weeks to highlight the need for safe, decent, and affordable shelter.

The activities will begin on Oct. 3, and will end in November with the 28th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Haiti.

The four primary events are:

• World Habitat Day: Habitat organizations in every U.S. state and in more than 40 other countries around the world will organize local World Habitat Day events throughout October.
• Build Hope, An Evening Honoring Humanitarian Leadership: An evening event with dinner, entertainment, and remarks from special guests will be held on Thursday, Oct. 6 in Washington, DC. Build Hope will focus attention on World Habitat Day and will emphasize Habitat's post disaster recovery work in Haiti. The event will also launch Habitat's flagship annual event, the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
• Habitat's 28th Annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project: This event will be held in Haiti, Nov. 5-12, as the culmination of Habitat's observance of World Habitat Day. Carter Work Project volunteers will build 100 earthquake-resistant homes in the city of Léogâne — considered to be the epicenter of the January 2010 earthquake.
• Habitat's Milestone Houses: Habitat for Humanity will mark a major milestone Oct. 3rd when it dedicates its 500,000th house in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, and begins construction on its 500,001st house in Paterson, NJ. Volunteers and homeowners are joining Habitat for Humanity Kenya and Paterson Habitat for Humanity in celebrating the milestones as part of events being held worldwide to mark World Habitat Day.

Click here for more information and to view a collection of World Habitat resources.