Celebrating a decade of innovation in community-led housing
Source: CoHabitat Network
Press release – 24 September 2024
Geneva, Switzerland – The CoHabitat Network will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a significant gathering of global housing advocates in Geneva from September 30 to October 4, 2024. Marking a decade of pioneering work in community-led housing, the event will feature a series of workshops, networking sessions, visits to housing cooperatives and a major public conference on October 1st.
Founded in October 2014, the CoHabitat Network, coordinated by urbaMonde, has become a beacon for inclusive and participatory affordable housing solutions, showcasing inspiring and innovative solutions led by low-income communities worldwide. This year’s meeting will bring together more than 40 organisations, mainly from civil society (international coalitions, resident’s federations, local and international NGOs), and academic institutions, foster collaborations, celebrate achievements, and showcase the diversity and sustainability of community-led housing.
Highlight Event: Public Conference on October 1st
On October 1st, the network will host a public conference at the University of Geneva, showcasing four outstanding community-led housing (CLH) initiatives from Senegal, Indonesia, Spain, and Switzerland. These projects have been recognized with the prestigious World Habitat Award for their groundbreaking approaches to housing justice and sustainability.
“Community-led housing is about more than just building homes; it’s about empowering communities and creating sustainable urban spaces that address the needs of the people,” said Léa Oswald, manager and programme lead of urbaMonde. “We’re excited to bring these inspiring stories to the public in Geneva and discuss how we can expand these models globally.”
The four international speakers will be joined in a roundtable by representatives of Geneva’s housing cooperatives to explore strategies for scaling up these best practices to address the global housing and climate crises.
Event Details::
Public Conference: Community-Led Housing Around The World
Date & Time : October 1, 2024, 18:30 – 20:30 CET
Venue : Uni Mail, room MR280, University of Geneva
For further information or to arrange a meeting or interview with our guests, please contact:
Nadia Gianoli
Communications Manager
nadia.gianoli@urbamonde.org
+41 76 679 8380
List of participants:
UrbaMonde
UrbaMonde is a Franco-Swiss association that promotes the role of residents in producing inclusive and sustainable cities. Its mission is to support and strengthen the ability of organised groups of residents to take action and support technical partners in the production of cities by and for their residents.
UrbaMonde operates internationally through cooperation projects in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The association also coordinates the CoHabitat Network, which is made up of around 30 civil society organisations active in advocating and implementing Social Housing Production around the world.
CoHabitat Network
CoHabitat Network is a non-profit informal network of Civil Society Organisations and their allies who promote people-led solutions in response to the global and local manifestations of the housing crisis. It forms a global movement promoting CLH through knowledge exchange, documentation, research and joint advocacy efforts.
Community-Led Housing
Community-Led Housing is a process by which inhabitants play a leading role in addressing their housing needs. With the right support of other actors, they join forces to collectively plan, finance, build or renovate and manage housing, community spaces and facilities. In doing so, they exercise their Right to the City and they influence their built environment to make it permanently affordable and secure for future generations.
