The Habitat Scroll of Honour Special Citation was presented to the President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon by the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT during the Opening Ceremony.

The occasion was also used to launch UN-HABITAT's State of the World's Cities 2004/2005 report, a joint EU-UN-HABITAT research initiative and the Global Partnership Initiative for Urban Youth Development in Africa .

The Universal Forum of Cultures and the City of Barcelona invited the participants of the World Urban Forum to the opening of the film Milagro de Candeal by the famous Spanish film director and Oscar winner Mr. Fernando Trueba. The film was based on the true story of Mr. Carlinhos Brown, who with his music changed the lives of a lof of people in need in Brazil . Mr. Carlinhos Brown held a concert to which the participants were invited as well as the people of Barcelona .