Our World Habitat Awards recognise and highlight innovative, remarkable and sometimes revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programmes from around the world. More than 250 outstanding World Habitat Awards projects have been recognised over the years, demonstrating substantial and lasting improvements in living conditions. Each year, two winners receive £10,000 each and a trophy, presented at a global UN-Habitat event.
The awards were established in 1985 to identify and promote good habitat practices. They were initiated in 1987 as World Habitat's contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The concept of identifying good practice was virtually unknown in 1985 and the Awards were only supposed to last three years. However, the response was so positive that World Habitat decided to keep the competition going. After 30 years, the World Habitat Awards are going from strength to strength.
Over the years, a wide variety of excellent habitat projects have been identified in the countries of the global North and South. These projects of different sizes and shapes address a wide range of housing issues. From the outset, the focus has been not only on identifying good housing practice, but also on sharing knowledge and experience for others who can transfer it to their own situations. The first international peer-to-peer exchange for a World Habitat Award-winning project was in 1987 and the exchanges have continued ever since.
The first awards were presented in 1986 in London by HRH the Prince of Wales and Dr Arcot Ramachandran, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.
Presentation of Awards
The World Habitat Awards are presented every year in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Historically, the Awards have been presented on World Habitat Day, which is organised in October each year by UN-Habitat.
The Awards are also presented each year at a major UN-Habitat event, providing opportunities for international exposure, networking and publicising the winning approaches.
Our last trophy presentation took place at the First UN-Habitat General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in May.
World Habitat Awards 2023
Applications for the Awards are encouraged from housing projects and programmes that:
- demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing challenges;
- can be transferred or adapted in other countries around the world;
All entries are subject to a thorough evaluation process and around 10 projects are assessed by an independent advisory group of housing experts.
Evaluation visits are made to four projects before recommendations are presented to a panel of external judges, including the Executive Director of the United Nations Housing Programme (UN-HABITAT).
Applications can be submitted now in English, Spanish or French until 23:59 UTC on Tuesday 14 March 2023.
Apply here.
