SECRETARY-GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI PRESENTS BEST PRACTICES AWARDS AT HABITAT II

Press Release
SG/SM/5999
HAB/122

SECRETARY-GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI PRESENTS BEST PRACTICES AWARDS AT HABITAT II

Following is the text of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's statement at an award ceremony for Best Practices at the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul on 4 June:

I am delighted to be here with you to celebrate these award-winning Best Practices.

The Best Practices Initiative was designed to assist National Committees for Habitat II in preparing their National Action Plans. The initiative grew rapidly. It produced an unprecedented collection of solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems associated with rapid change and urbanization.

This response, coming from all countries and regions, led the Habitat II Preparatory Committee to call for an independent jury to select the most deserving initiatives. To give them special recognition for their efforts in improving the living environment.

Over 800 submissions have been received by Habitat to date. They come from all continents and regions. And over 600 were submitted in time for consideration by a jury.

The process was made possible by generous support from the Dubai Municipality, the Governments of the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden and the Together and Kellogg Foundations. It is especially appropriate that two cities, the city of Tokyo and the city of Dubai, are sponsoring the awards for excellence.

The 12 award-winning best practices were selected from a short list of 43. In the view of the jury, all 43 are equally meritorious. The final selection was therefore a most difficult one and does not detract from the value and quality of the others.

All 12 share one common feature whether they come from developed or developing countries. They represent change. Change in the way we define

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problems and search for solutions in true partnership between civil society, public and private enterprise. Change in attitudes and behaviour. Change in governance and management systems.

They represent the spirit of invention, innovation, courage and commitment. They demonstrate that positive change and sustainable human settlement development are indeed possible.

These 12 best practices and the 88 others which have made the Global 100 Best Practice List provide concrete evidence of the link between the human settlement process and human development. Some of the award-winning best practices deal with technology. Some with information. Others with shelter, infrastructure and equality of access to land and credit. All of them, regardless of their particular focus, have resulted in tangible improvements in people's living environments.

This is but the first phase of an initiative which itself represents a best practice within the entire United Nations system. In honouring these 12, we are honouring human ingenuity, good leadership, solid management principles and bold enterprise.

To the award winners, I say congratulations. We count on you to continue to uphold the principles of true partnership in our pursuit for sustainable human settlement and development.

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