Arriving at Che Guevara Hall at Universidad Central del Ecuador one evening after a long day of urban living talks, I entered another world. Unlike the UN meeting, there was no business attire, suits or ties, or even leather shoes; everyone showed up in their conventional clothing, many in ponchos and carrying babies in their traditional aguayo. At the awards presentation, one of the hosts even joked that the UN conference on housing and sustainable urban development ironically made Quito unsustainable and unliveable by closing many of the city's streets (for security reasons). They said it only worsened the lives of local people and visitors.