The 2026 edition of Global Observance of World Cities Day will be held from 31 October to 2 November 2026 in Fuzhou City, China. As part of the upcoming celebrations, the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) is launching a call for exhibitors for the event’s interactive zone exhibition.
Date: 31 October to 2 November 2026
Venue: Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Centre
Deadline: 18 September 2026
Register here
Credit: UN-Habitat
About the Global Observance of World Cities Day
World Cities Day is held annually on 31 October 2026. Under the theme “regenerating the city: adequate housing for all,” this year’s observance highlights urban regeneration as a way to expand adequate housing for all. It promotes combining area-based regeneration with housing and informal settlement strategies to create inclusive, climate-resilient neighbourhoods, led by communities and protected against displacement, so current residents benefit from improved housing.
The event is jointly organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China, Fujian Provincial People’s Government, and UN-Habitat, and hosted by Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government and Fujian Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
The global observance will include an opening ceremony, thematic forums, parallel sessions, city tours, a flagship event, and an interactive zone exhibition. Participants include officials from international organisations, representatives of UN-Habitat member states, government agencies responsible for housing, urban development and construction, cities around the world and professional visitors.
The interactive zone exhibition
The interactive zone exhibition offers visitors from around the world first-hand insights into technological innovations, practical achievements, and solutions presented by participating organisations for sustainable urban development.
The exhibition has three parts: the preface hall, the “high-quality” scenario interactive zone, and the technology and industry innovation zone. Approximately 200 participating organisations and 50,000 visitors are expected.
- Preface hall: showcases the evolution of World Cities Day, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global innovations in urban governance, urban regeneration practices and achievements in China, and case studies from Fujian Province and Fuzhou City.
- “High-quality” scenario interactive zone: presents integrated living solutions for urban regeneration through immersive settings featuring full-scale model units, smart property management, and comprehensive community services.
- Technology and industry innovation zone: consists of three sections—urban construction, urban operation, and urban future.
Call for exhibitors
The requirement for exhibitors are
- Industry leadership: demonstrate a leading position or technological innovation advantages in their respective fields and possess independent intellectual property rights and core technologies.
- Successfully implemented projects: have proven successfully implemented projects or showcase-ready products, systems, and solutions.
- Thematic alignment: closely aligned with sustainable urban development and the principles of building “safe, comfortable, green, and smart” living environments.
Find out more here.
Application process
- Register: create a profile and register for World Cities Day 2026 at events.unhabitat.org.
- Apply: navigate to the “Applications” section and select the World Cities Day Expo application.
- Submit: fill in the required details about your proposed exhibition and submit the form.
Important deadlines and results:
- Application Deadline: 18 September 2026
- Notification of success: applicants will be notified by 23 September 2026 whether their booth application was successful.