Quick answer: World Cities Day is on 31 October 2025. The official theme is “People-centred smart cities,” and the Global Observance takes place in Bogotá, Colombia. United Nations+1
Quick facts
- Date: Friday, 31 October 2025
- Theme: People-centred smart cities (tech + data used for public good) urbanoctober.unhabitat.org+1
- Global Observance host city: Bogotá, Colombia UN-Habitat+1
- Organizer: UN-Habitat (end of the “Urban October” month) urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
What does “people-centred smart cities” actually mean?
It’s a shift from tech-for-tech’s-sake to tech that solves everyday problems—like reliable buses, safer streets, accessible services, and faster disaster alerts. UN-Habitat frames the 2025 focus as using data, digital tools and AI to improve life for everyone, especially vulnerable groups. urbanoctober.unhabitat.org+1
Simple examples
- Real-time buses that include audio/visual announcements for people with disabilities.
- Open-data dashboards that show flood risks and evacuation routes before storms.
- Free community Wi-Fi + digital literacy clubs for low-income neighborhoods.
- Online one-stop portals for permits, housing support, and complaints.
(These reflect the key messages UN-Habitat is pushing for WCD 2025.) UN-Habitat
Why Bogotá?
UN-Habitat selected Bogotá to host the 2025 Global Observance, gathering city leaders, civil society and innovators to discuss people-centred smart city solutions. Expect high-profile sessions, side events and media attention around the theme. UN-Habitat+1
15 activity ideas you can run this week (schools, councils, NGOs, startups)
Use these as plug-and-play options (30–120 minutes each):
- Walkability audit: Map broken pavements, crossings and curb ramps around a school; send to your council.
- Data for good hour: Teach teens to read a city open-data portal; pick one chart that matters.
- Bus-stop demo: Print a mini-timetable with QR code to real-time arrivals; ask riders for feedback.
- Digital inclusion drive: Collect used laptops/phones; partner with a refurbisher.
- Civic-tech lightning talks: 3×5-minute demos (report-a-pothole app, waste pickup tracker, etc.).
- Safe-route challenge: Students plot safest walking/cycling routes using free mapping tools.
- Micro-hackathon (2 hrs): Prototype a simple service (e.g., “missed bin pickup” WhatsApp bot).
- Accessibility check: Mystery-shop a city website for screen-reader friendliness; file suggestions.
- Noise map: Record hotspots with a phone app and display a neighborhood heatmap.
- Tree-count: Map trees and shade gaps near clinics or bus stops.
- Transit etiquette day: Posters on priority seating and stroller space; survey riders.
- Public-space pop-up: Reclaim two parking bays with chalk seating and planters.
- QR-code service board: At a community center, link to housing help, jobs, legal aid.
- Civic photo contest: “My city, my fix”—image + one line on a small problem and solution.
- Event listing: Register your activity on Urban October so others can find it. urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
Tip: UN-Habitat’s Urban October Toolkit has planning checklists and comms templates you can adapt. urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
How to list your event (free)
- Open the Urban October site.
- Find the event submission section and complete the form (title, description, date, location, links).
- Share your listing link on social with the #WorldCitiesDay tag. urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
FAQs
When is World Cities Day 2025?
31 October 2025. It closes UN-Habitat’s month-long “Urban October” programme. United Nations+1
What’s the official theme?
People-centred smart cities—using data, digital tools and AI to improve everyday urban life, inclusively. urbanoctober.unhabitat.org+1
Where is the Global Observance held?
Bogotá, Colombia. City and UN-Habitat announcements confirm the host. UN-Habitat+1
Who runs World Cities Day?
The UN system via UN-Habitat, with one host city chosen each year. UN-Habitat
UN.org observance page (theme + Bogotá confirmation)
WorldCitiesDay #WorldCitiesDay2025 #UrbanOctober #SmartCities #PeopleCentred #UNHabitat #SustainableCities #SDG11 #CivicTech #OpenData
