INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING FESTIVAL

A global celebration of the long tradition of decent, affordable housing that provides opportunities, breaks stereotypes and myths, creating a feeling of stability and safety.

Throwback to ISHF in Barcelona

Get ready for Dublin in June 2025🍀

Last #ISHF2023 in Barcelona

2100+

Social & affordable housing providers, policymakers, researchers, urbanists, architects, activists

200

Partnering organisations which put their ideas for events forward

Nationalities from

several continents

Side events

20 stands

6 exhibitions

8 venues in BCN

Festival with a history

The International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) is an initiative of Housing Europe, the European Federation of Public, Cooperative and Social Housing, and its members and allies, present in 31 countries and encompassing 25 million dwellings, 11% of the housing stock in the European Union.

The 1st of ISHF took place in Amsterdam in 2017 and was attended by some 1,300 people in a total of 45 events over two days.

The 2nd edition was organized in Lyon in 2019 and involved some 1,500 participants and 70 events over 4 days.

The 3rd edition planned for 2021 had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and finally took place in June 2022 in Helsinki, where about 1,000 people participated in 80 different activities over 3 days.

For the 4th edition in 2023, we were in Barcelona where a new record was set with more than 2,100 participants from all over the world.

ISHF is a unique opportunity for discussion between social and affordable housing providers, policymakers, researchers, city authorities, urbanists, architects and activists.

Find out more

2,100 registrations

Passing the baton to Dublin

Ada Colau, former mayor of Barcelona

2,100 registrations

1/17

Dublin in June 2025

Housing Europe has granted the 5th edition of the International Social Housing Festival to its members, the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) and Co-operative Housing Ireland (CHI).

It is confirmed, in June 2025, the Festival will travel to the Irish capital, bringing some of the brightest minds from all across the world to discuss how the right to housing can be brought back to the people.

As usual, organisations from different corners of the planet will have the chance to put their ideas forward and shape the agenda of the Festival.

Keep an eye on this page for more details.

#ISHF2025 organisers

YOUR VOICE AT ISHF

Every edition is shaped by organisations and individuals that strive to advance housing systems and make them fair. Public, cooperative, social, community-led housing providers, decision makers at different level, tenants unions, urbanists, architects, NGOs, researchers, and activists are shaping the content of ISHF. This is exactly why each and every Festival is so different.

We will launch the call for events in the autumn of 2024. Stay tuned.