Bogotá, 4 November 2025 — Five cities – Algiers (Algeria), Al Madinah (Saudi Arabia), Bogotá (Colombia), Espoo (Finland), and Incheon (Republic of Korea) – were honoured at the 2025 Shanghai Award ceremony during the Global Observance of World Cities Day on 31 October in Bogotá, Colombia.
The Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award) recognizes cities leading the way in sustainable urban development and localizing the SDGs. This year, 85 applications were received from 33 countries. Fifteen shortlisted cities were invited to attend the Global Observance in Bogotá.
In opening remarks, Mr. Gong Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, highlighted the strong partnership between UN-Habitat, China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Shanghai Municipality – through initiatives including the Shanghai Award, the Shanghai Manual, and the Shanghai Adapted Index.
UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach presented the awards, joined by Ms. Helga María Rivas Ardila, Minister of Housing, City and Territory of Colombia, and Mr. Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China.
The 2025 winning cities stand out for:
- Algiers, Algeria – for envisioning a modern, inclusive, and sustainable metropolis by 2030, focusing on adequate housing, social equity, resilient infrastructure, ecological transition, and smart urban governance.
- Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia – for implementing a smart city approach guided by Saudi Vision 2030, the SDGs, and the New Urban Agenda — with major projects in advanced urban mobility, environmental restoration, and data-driven governance supported by a leading digital platform.
- Bogotá, Colombia – for advancing green infrastructure, climate action, and “warm homes” programmes through its “My City, My Home” vision to respond to climate vulnerability and social inequality.
- Espoo, Finland – for integrating the SDGs into planning, budgeting, and governance — aligning technological innovation with strong community engagement and social inclusion.
- Incheon, Republic of Korea – for balancing environmental protection, economic vitality, and social inclusion through a long-term, results-oriented and integrated urban development strategy.
The winners reflect the Shanghai Award’s four focus areas on adequate housing, people-centred smart cities, green and climate-resilient development, and effective urban governance.
Launch of the Shanghai Manual 2025
The ceremony also marked the launch of the Shanghai Manual 2025 – a global resource on practical solutions for sustainable urban development, featuring cases from the five winning cities.
Watch the ceremony (from 37:40)
