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Welcome to register for the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly (UN‑Habitat Assembly) from 5 - 9 June 2023.

Registration deadline is Thursday, 25 May 2023 (23:59 EAT).

Urban Expo FAQs

The Urban Expo will take place on the sidelines of the second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly to showcase sustainable urban development projects, best practices, and cutting-edge solutions to tackle the challenges of housing, transport, energy, and climate change. Below is more information for Exhibitors.

Where are the exhibits displayed?

Exhibitions will be displayed at the conference area of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). The upper lobby area will have 3x1 meter booths for governments, academic institutions, UN entities, IGOs, and civil society.

A private sector exhibition area will be located at the Fountain Area behind the main conference that will have 3x2 meter booths.

Limited spaces for larger standalone exhibits will also be available for special exhibits and installations.   

How long will exhibitions be on display?

Exhibitions are on display for the duration of the Assembly, from 5 - 9 June, 2023.

Do Exhibitors need to be present at the booth for the entire Assembly?

Yes, we kindly ask exhibitors to ensure that one staff is present at their booth at all times throughout the entire Conference. The daily hours will follow the programme of the UN-Habitat Assembly.

What does the booth look like and who pays for it?

Exhibition booths will be available at the following rates:

-       A 3x2 meter booth will be available at $2,500.

-       A 3x1 meter booth will be available at $2,000.

Corporate sponsors can also support the participation of youth and women-led start-ups and non-profit organizations from developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by purchasing a 3x2m booth at $5,000.

Every booth includes two chairs, a small table and a counter, and access to electrical power. Wi-Fi is available throughout the venue. Exhibitors are responsible for all other related costs, including decoration/production, installation, promotion, hiring additional equipment, and an opening/event reception. 

Download Exhibition Guidelines

How will exhibitors book exhibition booths?

Register for the UN-Habitat Assembly and apply for an exhibition booth through the Online Application Portal (events.unhabitat.org). The selection of exhibitors will be based adherence to the theme and UN-Habitat’s mandate, regional and gender representation.

How will the booths be installed?

Upon approval of exhibitions, all exhibitors will be required to liaise with the Expo focal point and the contracted Event Management Company on logistics related to installation and exhibition services. The company will help to connect exhibitors with local vendors where needed. Exhibitors who have existing exhibitions they wish to display at the Urban Expo will still be required to liaise with the Expo focal point and the company on installation.

We suggest that exhibitors bring a laptop and a USB for their materials. Not all screens may be able to play files from USB.

Where can practical information for the UN-Habitat Assembly participants be found?

An information note for participants can be found on the UN-Habitat Assembly website. Please refer to this note for more information on entry requirements, hotels, etc.

How do exhibitor staff register and gain access to the Assembly?

All exhibition personnel must register for the Assembly. Personnel who are part of an accredited organization, UN organization, or member state will get a delegate badge which will enable them to gain access to the Assembly proceedings. Exhibition personnel who are not part of an accredited organization will receive an Exhibitor badge with no access to official assembly proceedings. More information can be found on the registration page of the UN-Habitat Assembly.

Where can Exhibitors find Assembly communication materials to promote their Exhibition?

UN-Habitat Assembly communication materials and guidelines will be available on the Assembly website shortly.

I have more questions, who can I contact?

If you still have questions or if any issues occur at the Assembly, please reach out to the Expo focal point Mr. Victor Mgendi, by email: victor.mgendi@un.org.

Side Event application guide

The deadline for side event applications is 11 April 2023.

A. Background

Side events are focused discussions or presentations relevant to the overall theme of the United Nations Habitat Assembly and take place on the margins of the official meetings of the Assembly. For the upcoming second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, Member States, Non-Member States, United Nations system organizations, Intergovernmental organizations, and accredited stakeholders are invited to apply to host a side event.

B. Schedule of side events

Side events will be an integral element of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly and will be held from Monday 5 June through to Thursday 8 June 2023. Events will be scheduled outside of the designated hours for plenary meetings of the Assembly, including during lunch and evening periods, for a maximum duration of 60 minutes each. The specific dates and times of side events will be confirmed upon selection of the events.

C. Criteria for Selection

All proposals will be reviewed against the criteria outlined below and all applicants are expected to be informed of the outcome of the selection process from 25 April 2023 onwards, bearing in mind limitations in slot availability.

The side events are to be relevant to the theme of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, “A sustainable urban future through inclusive and effective multilateralism: Achieving the SDGs in times of global crises”.

Side events are to be closely linked to the five key action areas highlighted in the Report of the Executive Director on the special theme of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly. Side events that showcase innovative approaches and transformative actions through effective and inclusive multilateralism in the following five areas are particularly encouraged:  

1. Universal access to adequate housing
2. Urban climate action and environmental protection
3. Urban crisis recovery
4. Localization of the SDGs and multilevel governance
5. Urban prosperity and local finance

Other selection criteria include:

• Number and diversity of partners involved in hosting the side event.
• Strategic link to the programme and agenda items of the United Nations Habitat Assembly.
• Gender and geographic balance of speakers and content.

D. Guidelines for event organizers

1. Side events can be organized by Member States, Non-Member States, United Nations system organizations, Intergovernmental organizations, and accredited stakeholders to the UN-Habitat Assembly.
2. Hosting a side event involves planning and carrying out all activities related to the event, in addition to covering all associated costs.
3. Side events will last a maximum of 60 minutes.
4. Sides events will be announced on the website of UN-Habitat, as well as on the electronic notice panels at the Assembly.
5. Organizers should plan to hold their event in English or make their own interpretation arrangements (consecutive interpretation without booth) as United Nations interpretation services are not available for side events.
6. Side events should only be held in-person as technical equipment for online connection will not be available.
7. Each room will be equipped with a laptop, projector and screen for projection of videos, slides or presentations, as well as microphones on request. Organizers who prefer to use their own laptop are advised to bring adaptors and to make themselves available shortly before the event for equipment testing. It is not possible to provide any other technical equipment.
8. The seating capacity for each side event room is between 40 - 60 people. Please note that the layout of the rooms cannot be changed.
9. Only printed materials that are directly related to the agenda of the United Nations Habitat Assembly can be distributed during a side event. The Assembly Secretariat reserves the right to remove non-compliant materials.
10. The sale of printed materials or any goods on the grounds of the Assembly is strictly prohibited.
11.  Side event organizers are advised not to set up displays or put up posters on meeting room walls during a side event or at any other time during the official meetings to avoid removal and loss of materials. A limited number of reports or publications may be distributed.
12.  Food and drinks are strictly prohibited in the meeting rooms.
13.  It is the responsibility of the event organizers and their speakers for obtaining the delegates pass to enter the UN compound in good time before the event.

E.      How to submit a side event application

1. Applications for side events should be submitted online via the registration portal.

2. Submissions received after the deadline, and in another language than English, will not be considered.

3. Incomplete submissions missing mandatory information will not be considered.

Please contact Ms. Zahra.Hassan@un.org in case of any questions.

How to Apply for ad hoc accreditation for your organisation

Accreditation is granted to organisations to allow them to attend UN-Habitat intergovernmental meetings as observers. These meetings include the UN-Habitat Assembly, the Executive Board, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives. Accreditation is important because, it provides an opportunity for organisations to contribute to the policy-making process of the UN-Habitat and share their expertise. Accreditation is for organisations and not individuals.

Representatives of duly accredited organisations may attend the second session of the UN- Habitat Assembly and will be required to provide proof of their nomination by the accredited organizations. These include organizations accredited to either: (i) the First Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly, (ii) the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and the special session of the General Assembly to assess implementation of the Habitat Agenda (Istanbul + 5), (iii) the third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) – Prepcom2 and Prepcom3,  or (iv) non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).  

Organization neither accredited nor in consultative status with ECOSOC as indicated in (i) to (iv) above are invited to apply for ad hoc accreditation to attend the second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly. The deadline for application for ad hoc accreditation is Friday 31 March 2023. The accreditation decision will be communicated directly to the organization concerned.

The accreditation process entails (i) personal profile registration for the official applying on behalf of the organization, (ii) organization profile registration, (iii) completion of accreditation form and uploading of required supporting documents, (iv) screening of applications by the secretariat, (v) review and approval of applications by member states, and (vi) communication of the accreditation decision to applying organizations.

Please follow the steps below to apply for accreditation. 

1. Personal and organisation profile registration 

You must first register before you can establish organisational profile and apply for accreditation on behalf of your organisation. It is important to note the name of your organisation must match the name on the certificate of registration. Please register here.

After you complete the registration process you will receive an email with the login details for you to proceed with the application for accreditation.

2. Completion of accreditation form

Before application, please ensure that your organisation meets the following accreditation criteria.

1. Be a legal entity in at least one country.

2. The organisation must have been in existence (officially registered) for at least two years as of the date of receipt of the application by the Secretariat.

3. The organisation’s activities must be relevant to housing and sustainable urban development in general, and specifically the work and mandate of UN-Habitat

4. The organisation must have an accountable, transparent and a democratic decision-making process. 

5. The organisation must have the right to represent its members.

Please complete the accreditation form and upload the following required supporting documents. 

1. Signed letter requesting accreditation on the organisation’s letterhead

2. A list of members of the governing bodies of the organisation and their nationalities

3. A copy of the constitution, statutes and/or by-laws of the organisation

4. Certificate of registration which includes stamp of the government authority that issued it

5. Annual reports and financial statements for the last two years

6. A description of the membership of the organisation, names of organisations that are members and their geographical distribution.

Login here with your existing login details to apply for accreditation.