This year’s International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) in Barcelona is not just a gathering of experts and professionals in a certain industry, like there are many conferences for all types of professionals. No, instead, the ISHF is a statement. We gather because we have a common goal.

Global conversations about housing systems often happen in English. However, for many of us, the English language is not our mother tongue. At the same time, we sometimes draw conclusions about a term based on our cultural background. A group of international housing researchers from TU Delft University in the Netherlands have created an online vocabulary to ensure that everybody is on the same page.

"As in the 90s', we have come to a crossroads when countries and governments are questioning their housing direction and what policies to choose," the Chairman of our Dutch member, AEDES said when he and Robin Van Leijen, in charge of EU affairs, came to meet us at Housing Europe's office.