SDG Cities Global Conference

SDG Cities Global Conference

Co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, the SDG Cities Global Conference is the annual gathering of the SDG Cities Global Community, which connects 300 cities in more than 80 countries, and one of the major events of World Cities Day. Mayors, national governments, international organizations, investors and development partners will meet in Shanghai to share how urban regeneration can deliver adequate, affordable housing for all. They will also shape city priorities ahead of the 2027 SDG Summit.

The two-day programme includes a high-level plenary, five themed sessions on housing finance, green transformation, digital innovation, youth and community, and resilient governance. It also features UN-Habitat side events and thematic study visits.

What to expect

  • A high-level plenary with leaders from UN-Habitat, national and city governments, and international guests
  • Five themed sessions:
    • Innovative housing finance for livable cities
    • Ecological livability and green transformation
    • Quality housing and digital-intelligent technologies
    • Community revitalization and youth development
    • Governance for safe and resilient cities
  • Roundtables, special sessions and UN-Habitat side events, including the SDG Cities Global Community side event
  • Launches of new knowledge products, including the Chinese edition of the Shanghai Manual 2026 and the UMF-Shanghai Adapted Index Application Report 2026
  • An achievements showcase and thematic study visits on heritage conservation, waterfront management and neighbourhood regeneration

The conference runs alongside the 12th Shanghai International City and Architecture Expo (29–31 October 2026, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center).

Featured Side Event

Finance Follows Development: From Transactions to Transformation

2 November 2026 | The Grand Halls, Sky Hall

Cities do not lack projects, and investors are looking for urban opportunities. Yet urban investment still tends to arrive as one-off deals that leave little lasting change behind. This session argues that the order is backwards. Finance does not create transformation. It follows it, flowing to places that already have a shared vision, inclusive governance and clear legal frameworks. Very few partners invest in building those conditions.

The scale of the challenge makes this urgent. Local and regional governments deliver more than 65% of SDG targets, and nearly three billion people live in inadequate housing. No list of individual projects can close a gap that large. Closing it means investing in a city’s capacity to transform itself, through partners working toward a common vision.

Programme highlights

  • Building what finance follows. Cities, national SDG bodies and financial institutions discuss how to finance governance and institutional capacity as part of an investment, rather than treating it as technical assistance.
  • Non-traditional capital. This spotlight draws on the Sport for Sustainable Urban Development Initiative with the International Olympic Committee. It explores how sport investments can leave lasting public spaces, policies and opportunities for youth, rather than just a facility.

 

Event Details

Date: Nov 2, 2026

Location: Shanghai, China