Quito -The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, Habitat III, officially opened today in the capital of Ecuador, attended by officials and delegations from the 193 member countries of the United Nations.

About 45,000 people gathered at the headquarters of the world forum, located in the Ecuadorian Culture House, near the National Assembly and El Arbolito Park.

Beginning this morning and lasting until Thursday, October 20th, the conference in Quito will be the center of keynote speeches, exhibitions, talks and exchanges on initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life of people in the field of housing and urban development.

The conference will be opened by UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

Among the speakers are Salvador Valdes Mesa, a member of the Political Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party and Vice President of the State Council, who is presiding over his country's delegation at the event.

A global meeting with mayors took place yesterday prior to the opening ceremony of Habitat III. The event was chaired by Ban Ki Moon and also attended by Joan Clos, the Secretary General of the Conference, and Maria de los Angeles Duarte, Ecuadorian Minister of Urban Development and Housing. Mayors attending the global meeting used the conference to expose their ideas, which will be included in the final declaration of the Habitat III.