Balancing global city with global village

The discourse on habitat and human settlements is increasingly dominated by that of the global, mega city. If the aim of those of us in the human settlements field is to improve our understanding of, and action on habitat and human settlements, this, often exclusive, focus is a mistake. Our habitat is better understood and acted upon as a network of interwoven settlements and surrounding countrysides, large and small, themselves interwoven within our larger ecosystem. In this network the habitat of our smaller settlements (smaller cities, towns, villages) and rural areas — our global village — also plays a critical role. The assumption can be challenged that urbanization and the megacity are the critical issues of habitat and human settlements. Evidence suggests that with some urbanization there is also counter urbanization, the ruralization of cities, and, perhaps most important, a growing rurbanization as city — country interactions intensify. Habitat for all and habitat for a healthy, sustainable planet demands our openness to these new concepts and realities. It demands an integrated, balanced, approach which helps a wide range of living settlement nodes, large and small, to nurture each other. Global City and Global Village must go hand in hand. Our planetary and human health depends on it.