It All Starts at Home. This is a message that we have been trying to convey to the population and policy-makers since the Home Renaissance Foundation began its work almost 20 years ago, in order to highlight the value of the home as the fabric of our lives.

It is exciting to see how institutions and foundations worldwide organise forums and conferences with the home as a starting point. We saw this first-hand in May in New York at the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Families, in which we participated, and we are happy to see that ‘It All Starts at Home’ was the title of the twelfth World Urban Forum held in Cairo last week, curated by UN-Habitat and facilitated by global thought leaders and experts.

With a record-breaking attendance of over 24,000 participants from 182 countries, speakers, panelists, and attendees from diverse backgrounds explored the multifaceted dimensions of Home and reflected on its significance across various sectors.

Its programme states: The concept of “home” extends beyond the physical structures that shelter us to encompass the cultural, social, economic and environmental dimensions of daily life. It furthermore embodies the intangible attributes of belonging, meaning and values that shape the sustainability of our cities and communities.

As you know, in HRF as a result of all these years we have published a document in which we explain WHAT is HOME, edited by our director Prof. Antonio Argandoña and with the contribution of many researchers who have collaborated with us so far.

In the Forum, they also restate the role of the academy as an engine of knowledge, and in the Academia Roundtable, scholars and researchers explored how research and data can help solve the climate-related urban housing crisis. They examined how data can inform strategies addressing housing affordability, access to basic services, and environmental sustainability. Research can create innovative solutions tailored to diverse community needs through interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge co-production, and cross-sector partnerships. HRF is proud to be a part of this vital conversation – and to be the pioneer think tank making the case for Home.

Next call WUF13 in Baku, Azerbaijan.