Committed to Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All

In Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC

As a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption public charity recognized by the United Nations system and enjoying the Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC, Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) is committed to providing a world platform for high-level dialogue and promoting sustainable cities and human settlements for all. Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury serves as the Chairman of GFHS Board.

The main work of GFHS includes: convening the annual global forum on human settlements and other academic conferences; promoting the implementation of the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", "New Urban Agenda" and "Paris Climate Agreement"; facilitating exchanges and cooperation between and within regions, governments and civil societies in the area of sustainable cities and human settlements; researching and developing International Green Model City (IGMC) Initiative and Standards; issuing the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA); and producing sustainability publications, notably the World Best Practices Magazine (WBPM) and The Collection of Global Forum on Human Settlements.

Over the years, GFHS has accomplished a number of cooperation projects with the main UN agencies including United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, United Nations Development Programme, World Meteorological Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization, as well as Asian Development Bank, World Wildlife Fund, International Union for Conservation of Nature, World Economic Forum, International Ocean Institute (IOI) and other international organizations.

The Annual Forum has become one of the most important conferences worldwide focusing on sustainable cities and human settlements. Since 2005, GFHS has been convening its annual forums at the United Nations headquarters and on five continents for 19 consecutive years, and more than 323,400 representatives from all sectors of society took part in the forums. Among them, some sessions were held as parallel or associated events of 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Summit), 2016 United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), and the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). Some sessions also served as an observance of the World Cities Day.

As a follow-up discussion and action of the United Nations Summit of the Future, the 19th Annual Session of Global Forum on Human Settlements and New Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards Ceremony (GFHS 2024) was successfully held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on October 24, the UN Day, with the theme being “Invigorate Innovation and Local Leadership for a Sustainable Urban Future”. The forum brought together nearly 400 professional participants including 20+ ambassadors, representing 40+ countries. It was broadcast live on UN WEB TV.

Large-scale academic literature compiling global research achievements on sustainable cities and human settlements - The Global Forum on Human Settlements Collection (a two-volume bilingual edition in Chinese and English, totaling 3.3 million words) was published by China Environment Publishing Group in 2021. The Collection has been acquired by over 30 renowned university libraries worldwide, including the National Library of China, the Central Party School Library, the Ministry of Natural Resources Library, as well as libraries at Tsinghua University, Peking University, Renmin University, Tianjin University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Lanzhou University, Sichuan University, the University of Hong Kong, Harvard University, the University of Oxford, and the University of Malta. This wide dissemination has made significant contributions to promoting global knowledge sharing and green innovation.

The Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA), one of the world’s most important awards on sustainable development, is an annual worldwide prize awarded by GFHS. With the support and guidance from UNEP and other UN agencies, the awards program commits to promoting the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDG 11, and driving more people and organizations to follow suit and take decisive actions on the ground. The awards include 10 categories, and have been successfully held for 19 years, with awardees coming from different parts of the world, which has produced a significant demonstration effect. 

Supported by the Global Human Settlements Foundation (GHSF), the SCAHSA in 2024 has been fully upgraded to the "New Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards" (abbreviated as the "New SCAHSA"), aiming to become a global top prize for sustainable urban future. Winners will be awarded not only certificates and medals but also prize money, which enables the awards program to reach new heights in terms of both authority and influence. 

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury recently completed his term as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States of the United Nations, the post he held since March 2002. A career diplomat, he was Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York from 1996 to 2001. He also served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Chile, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela, as well as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to the Bahamas and Guyana.

Mr. Chowdhury served as the Secretary-General of the Almaty International Conference on global transit transport cooperation in 2003 as well as of the Mauritius International Meeting on Small Island Developing States in 2005, both convened by the United Nations General Assembly. He also spearheaded the five-year mid-term review of the Brussels Programme for the Least Developed Countries by the UN General Assembly in September 2006 in New York.

Ambassador Chowdhury is the recipient of the U Thant Peace Award and the UNESCO Gandhi Gold Medal for Culture of Peace. In March 2003, the Soka University of Tokyo, Japan, conferred on him an Honorary Doctorate for his work on women’s issues, child rights and culture of peace as well as for the strengthening of the United Nations. Ambassador Chowdhury has been decorated by the Government of Burkina Faso with the country’s highest honour “L’Ordre Nacionale” on 18 June 2007 in Ouagadougou for his championship of the cause of the most vulnerable countries.

He is the co-founder of GFHS which was officially established in New York in 2008. In his capacity as the Chairman of GFHS, he has been leading GFHS to continuous growth, and made outstanding contribution to sustainable cities and human settlements around the world.