Nigerian, Anigbogu wins prestigous UN-Habitat scroll of honour award

A Nigerian, Mr. Stanley Anigbogu is among five winners of this year’s UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, one of the most prestigious prizes presented to those working on sustainable urbanisation.

The winners represent a series of best practices and examples from around the world that shine out in their commitment to the cause of improving human settlements, their innovative ways of reducing urban poverty and bringing relief to the victims of disasters

Anigbogu, a 22-year-old student from Onitsha, Anambra State, currently studying Multimedia Development on full scholarship at The National School of Applied Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco, won for his pioneering use of simple technology and recycling electronic waste to create innovative energy solutions for marginalised communities and families, small business owners and refugees.

This year, the selection committee shortlisted 69 submissions out of more than 244 nominations for the award, covering individuals, organisations and projects in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

The nominations were judged based on their contribution to UN-Habitat’s mandate focused on promoting socially and environmentally sustainable cities and human settlements; contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Sustainable Development Goals 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and potential for scale up.

In addition, the selection committee looked for innovative responses and solutions around the 2022 World Habitat Day theme “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind.” focused on growing inequalities that have been exacerbated by the triple ‘C’ crisis – COVID-19, climate, and conflict.

In 2021, there were almost 163 million newly poor people in urban areas, according to the UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2022.

Under the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, a plaque engraved with the name of the winning individual, city or institution, will be presented during the global observance of World Habitat Day. This year, the global observance will take place on October 3, 2022 in Balikesir, Republic of Türkiye.

“We have five impressive award winners this year and one special recognition. I want to congratulate the winners and thank them for their contribution and efforts to address sustainable urbanisation,” said UN-Habitat’s Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd Sharif. “I am impressed with these innovative ideas and outstanding work. We need more solutions, and we need them now to make sure we close the gap and leave no one and no place behind.”

Other winners are 15’min City Global Initiative, for offering a compelling model with global outreach that facilitates narratives and mobilisation on sustainable urban development and is contributing to accelerating the implementation of the New Urban Agenda as a blueprint for the COVID-19 recovery.

Ms. Dipti Mahapatro, from Bhubaneswar, India, whose innovative leadership in turning a failing public-private transport service into inclusive, accessible, cleaner and safer urban mass rapid transit system with transformative impacts especially regarding opportunities provided for women.

Programa Parceria, Recife, Brazil, for its in-situ approach to undertake disaster risk reduction strategies. The Urban Intergroup of the European Parliament, for being effective in enabling European legislation, policies, and financing for sustainable urban development in cities and human settlements.