BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The first in a series of commemorative activities for the 23rd World Habitat Day will start on Monday in Angola's capital, Luanda.

    The annual World Habitat Day, launched by the United Nations in 1985 and first celebrated in 1986, falls on the first Monday of October and is aimed at reflecting on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all, as well as reminding the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

    The theme for this year is "harmonious cities for 2008," which focuses on the environmental problems brought by global waves of urbanization, as well as hiking poverty rate among the expanding slums in the city.

    City limits are fast expanding with quickening urbanization around the world. Many of the world's most concerning problems -- poverty, natural disasters, escalating prices for food and fuel --have important links with rapid urbanization.

    Many countries are now facing pressing challenges of providing urban citizens with sufficient services in housing, water, power and health care, and are plagued by growing slums and a rising crime rate in the city.

    "Our rapidly urbanizing world cannot claim to be harmonious if slum-dwellers do not enjoy opportunities to find jobs and improve their living conditions. Nor it will be harmonious if the growth and urban areas comes at the expense of the natural environment," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his address on the occasion of this year's World Habitat Day.

    Ban called on "all partners and stakeholders to do our utmost to realize the potential, and to build decent living conditions for all women, men and children in a way that also preserves our natural heritage and promotes greener and smarter growth."

    In Luanda, local and international representatives from governments, civil societies and the private sector will discuss human settlements issues and see for themselves the progress Angola has made in both restoring peace and working on urban development after over 30 years of bloody conflict.

    The "Habitat Scroll of Honor" will be awarded to acknowledge those who have made outstanding contributions in areas of human settlements.