Published by the CIPS Network of the National Association of REALTORS®
First Quarter 2006
Five Days of Global Advocacy
By Ruth Krinke, CIPS, CRS, GRI, TRC
This June, thousands of delegates from around the world will converge for the United Nations’ World Urban Forum III (WUFIII). The biennial gathering is attended by a wide range of delegates representing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations; urban professionals, academics, governments, and local authorities; and national and international associations. It will provide a collective environment in which to discuss urban issues in formal and informal ways, and to devise action-oriented proposals to create sustainable cities. Hosted by the Government of Canada, WUFIII will take place in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, June 19-23, 2006. The theme: Our Future: Sustainable Cities—Turning Ideas into Action.
A Role for Organized Real Estate
NAR began planning the role that organized real estate might play in this Forum after participating in the WUFII, in Barcelona, in 2004. One result of NAR’s involvement was the creation of the International Housing Coalition (IHC), conceptualized and founded in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International (HfHI) and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The mission of the IHC is to promote the goal of “Housing for All” as an essential element to ending poverty worldwide. Reports on the work of the IHC were presented to the International Operations Committee in 2005.
The IHC supports the basic principles of private property rights: security of tenure (the ability to defend a claim to occupy land); effective title systems; and efficient and equitable housing finance systems—all essential elements to furthering economic growth and development, and to support civic stability and democratic values.
All real estate professionals should value these principles. We who work in the global marketplace, however, see first-hand how important these principles are to a strong property market. If you do business in Central/Eastern Europe or parts of Latin America, you are acutely aware of the need for property rights and secure title systems to attract investors and/or to develop a secondary market, which is the foundation for future growth. Even very established, sophisticated markets around the world look at the U.S. systems as models for sustained, long-term market prosperity.
NAR Joins Hands with Related Organizations
The program for WUFIII is still being finalized, but UN Habitat has made a commitment to the IHC to showcase as many as 16 housing-related case studies organized by the IHC. There are many organizations involved in the preparation and support of these studies, including several from organized real estate. Joining NAR and CREA in this endeavor are the Counselors of Real Estate, the Reaume Foundation, the International Real Property Foundation (IRPF), and the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA).
WUFIII is open to all attendees. It is a tremendous opportunity for CIPS Network members seeking to learn and become involved in global housing advocacy at a very personal, direct level. Once UN Habitat has published the final program, NAR will consider how best to organize the information for real estate professionals attending the event, and also to explore options for planning specific programs in conjunction with WUFIII—especially for REALTORS® and CIPS Network Members.
How You Can Get Involved
We are in the early planning stages of this event. I invite your comments and ideas about how CIPS Network members can best take full advantage of WUFIII and what NAR can do to help you benefit from your participation in this event. For instance: What type of networking opportunities would you like to have available for real estate professionals? Would you be interested in programming specifically geared to real estate practitioners and, if so, what topics would be of most interest? I encourage you to e-mail your thoughts on these questions and any other ideas you might have to me at ruth@steamboatrealestate.com.
Consider adding Vancouver to your list of 2006 destinations, and join the several thousand of other attendees who will be there to immerse themselves to five days of global advocacy. It promises to be a most exciting and motivating experience!
For more information, visit the WUFIII website at: www.unhabitat.org/wuf/2006. You can read more about the organization and the event; see the general organization of the program; and also register. And the best part—there’s no fee for registration!
More articles >> |
