Five Cities Win 2026 Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities
FUZHOU, China: Five cities—Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Santiago de Cali in Colombia, Istanbul in Türkiye, Jingdezhen in China, and Katowice in Poland—have received the 2026 Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, also known as the Shanghai Award.
The awards were presented during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Global Observance of World Cities Day in Fuzhou, China. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng presented the awards.
The Shanghai Award recognizes cities that adopt integrated approaches to sustainable urban development and implement the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level. The 2026 award cycle received 92 applications from 34 countries. An independent international jury selected the five winners based on impact, innovation, sustainability and adaptability.
Addis Ababa was recognized for its integrated urban transformation strategy, which combines adequate housing, green infrastructure, river restoration, safe mobility and participatory governance. Santiago de Cali received recognition for its comprehensive habitat upgrading policy, bringing together housing, land tenure, public services, ecological restoration, risk reduction and community participation.
Istanbul was honoured for its people-centred urban regeneration approach, integrating earthquake resilience, safe and affordable housing, energy efficiency and heritage preservation. Jingdezhen was recognized for heritage-led urban regeneration, using its porcelain-making legacy to support cultural innovation and economic growth while promoting affordable housing and environmental sustainability.
Katowice received the award for its transformation from a coal and steel centre into a green, smart and resilient city. Its initiatives combine urban regeneration, affordable housing, sustainable mobility, heritage preservation and inclusive governance.
The ceremony also marked the launch of the Shanghai Manual 2026 and the Shanghai Adapted Index Application Report 2026. The Shanghai Manual presents practical urban solutions and case studies from the five award-winning cities, offering lessons that other cities can adapt to their own circumstances.
The Shanghai Adapted Index Application Report highlights applications across five thematic areas: climate resilience, urban regeneration, urban governance, healthy cities and innovation-driven cities.
The Shanghai Award, Shanghai Manual and Shanghai Adapted Index are initiatives developed through a partnership between UN-Habitat and China to promote sustainable urban development, knowledge exchange and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
