Issued during WUF13, convened by UN-Habitat under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities”, the statement brings together faith leaders, humanitarian organizations, urban practitioners, and civil society partners around a shared commitment to advancing housing systems rooted in human dignity, justice, environmental sustainability, and human flourishing.

 

Organizations endorsing the Call to Action include Habitat for Humanity International, the World Evangelical Alliance, Future Faith, the Pakistan Climate Alliance, the University of Pretoria Centre for Faith and Community, the Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, Parish Collective, Micah Global, and Relèven, among others.

 

The Call to Action recognizes that the world faces an escalating housing crisis affecting billions of people through inadequate housing, displacement, informality, rising costs, climate vulnerability, and deepening inequality. It asserts that housing must be understood not merely as physical shelter, but as foundational to human well-being, family stability, public health, community life, economic opportunity, and social cohesion.

 

The statement emphasizes the critical role faith communities can play in advancing housing solutions through their longstanding local presence, trusted relationships, moral leadership, property and land assets, volunteer networks, financial resources, and deep commitment to the well-being of communities around the world.

 

“Faith communities have long stood on the frontlines of housing insecurity, displacement, and community care,” said Chris Elisara, Director of Faith For Cities and WEA Special Envoy for the Environment, Climate, and Cities. “Through this Call to Action, we affirm that housing is not simply a technical or market issue; it is a moral, social, and spiritual imperative tied to human dignity, belonging, and flourishing. At a time of deep global housing challenges, we believe faith communities, governments, civil society, and the private sector must work together to help build more just, resilient, and flourishing places for all.”

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According to Jonathan Reckford, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, and an organizational signer of the call to action, “Around the world, families are striving for the simple but profound security of a safe home. Our faith traditions compel us to stand with them. This call to action is a powerful reminder that when faith communities unite around dignity, justice, and compassion, we can help ensure every family has a safe place to call home.”

 

The Call to Action encourages stronger partnerships between governments, faith communities, civil society organizations, financial institutions, urban practitioners, and the private sector to help scale housing solutions that are locally grounded, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.

 

Among its priorities, the statement calls for:

• Expanding access to affordable and adequate housing

• Supporting informal settlement upgrading and community-led development

• Promoting climate-resilient and regenerative approaches to housing and urban development

• Advancing human-scale urban design, intentional placemaking, walkability, connectivity, inclusion, beauty, resilience, cultural rootedness, and ecological sustainability, thereby fostering places where people and nature can flourish together

• Strengthening relational infrastructure, social cohesion, and local stewardship

• Encouraging innovative public-private-faith partnerships

• Integrating housing policy with transportation, health, employment, climate resilience, and social protection systems

 

Hosted by Faith for Cities, the Faith Pavilion at WUF13 serves as a collaborative platform for dialogue, partnership, and action among faith-based organizations, religious leaders, urban practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors working toward more just, resilient, and flourishing cities and communities.

 

The Pavilion builds upon momentum established at the Faith Pavilion at WUF12 in Cairo and seeks to deepen the role of faith-based actors as meaningful contributors to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

 

The Faith Pavilion at WUF13 is made possible in part through the sponsorship and support of Baylor University’s Ethics Initiative, which, in partnership with Faith For Cities, has helped create a space for meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and shared action at the intersection of faith, cities, and human flourishing.

 

Additional organizations, institutions, and leaders are invited to review and sign the statement.

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Media Contact

Chris Elisara, Ph.D., Director, Faith for Cities

chris@faithforcities.org

Cell/WhatsApp +1 760 8222 2817

www.faithforcities.org