Deadline:
March 03, 2025
Location(s)
Online
Overview
Our World Habitat Awards recognise and highlight innovative, outstanding and sometimes revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programmes from across the world. More than 250 outstanding World Habitat Awards projects have been recognised over the years, demonstrating substantial, lasting improvements in living conditions. Each year two winners receive £10,000 each and a trophy, presented at a global UN-Habitat event.
Details
History
The Awards were established in 1985 for the identification and the promotion of good habitat practices. They were initiated in 1987 as World Habitat contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The concept of identification of good practice was virtually unknown in 1985 and the Awards were supposed to run over three years only. However, the response was so positive that World Habitat decided to keep the competition running. After 30 years, the World Habitat Awards are going from strength to strength.
Over the years, a large range of excellent habitat projects were identified in the countries of the global North and the global South. These projects of different sizes and shapes tackle a wide range of housing issues. From the very beginning, the focus has been not only on the identification of good housing practices but also in the sharing of knowledge and experience to others who can transfer them in their own situations. The first international peer exchange to a World Habitat Award project winner was in 1987 and the exchanges have continued ever since.
- Previous World Habitat Award winners and finalists
- International Peer Exchanges to winning projects
The first awards were presented in 1986 in London by HRH the Prince of Wales and the Dr Arcot Ramachandran, UN-HABITAT Executive Director.
Award Presentation
The World Habitat Awards are presented each year in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Historically the Awards were presented on World Habitat Day, which is organised in October each year by UN-Habitat. The Awards are still presented each year at a major UN-Habitat event, providing opportunities for international exposure, networking and dissemination of the award-winning approaches.
Our latest trophy presentation took place at the UN-Habitat First General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya in May.
World Habitat Awards 2025
Entries to 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 across the world;
- are already being implemented or are completed i.e. not at design stage or in the very early stages of development; and
- view the term habitat from a broad perspective and bring a range of other benefits. We particularly encourage entries from projects and programmes that are addressing the climate emergency. Other benefits of interest to us include: income generation; social inclusion; community and individual empowerment; health benefits; capacity building and or education.
All entries are subject to a thorough assessment process and around 10 projects are evaluated 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 Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).
Entries can be submitted now in English, Spanish or French until 23:59 UTC Sunday 3rd March 2025.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility
We want to hear about projects from around the world that:
- focus on affordable and adequate housing;
- have taken action to address the climate emergency;
- are in progress or have been completed in the last ten years;
- are taking steps to promote diversity, equality and inclusion; and
- have been designed and/ or delivered in close collaboration with the residents/ local community
Dates
Deadline: March 03, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
The World Habitat Awards competition has been run by World Habitat in partnership with UN-Habitat since 1985. In that time some of the world’s most remarkable and innovative housing projects have received international recognition for their work. In 2025, we will be presenting Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards to the most outstanding projects and programmes.
The two GOLD Award-winning projects receive:
- a trophy (presented at a global event) in recognition of their work to develop and deliver good practice in housing. We will work with our winners to ensure all events are COVID secure. World Habitat meets travel and accommodation costs for a project representative to attend the awards ceremony;
- prize money of £10,000; and
- follow-up support from World Habitat through our exChange programme
Silver and Bronze Award-winning projects receive a certificate and the opportunity to partner with World Habitat in the promotion of their initiatives.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
