This is an appeal for the unity of urban social movements which strive to give concrete expression to economic, social and cultural rights, as well as housing rights in particular. It is launched by the organizations and networks of inhabitants, co-operatives, tenants’ unions, community centres, original populations and committees for housing rights all over the world.

In view of the following facts:

1. the prevailing neo-liberal globalization, based on exclusion and inequality, is causing more and more violations of housing rights affecting over a billion people in the world, who are homeless or badly housed, under threat of forced eviction, discriminated against due to wars or in difficulty because of catastrophes, or because they are migrants, women, poor or populations discriminated against such as the Dalit and the Rom;
2. according to the UN-Habitat this figure will rise to over 1.7 billion by 2020, an increase of 70%;
3. the repayment of foreign debts required mainly by the World Bank and the IMF, make it impossible and mere wishful thinking to achieve Target 7 of the Millennium Development Goals Aims set by the United Nations, which is to improve the housing conditions of 100 million people;
4. new initiatives, associations, inhabitants’ networks are springing up every day to resist forced evictions, fight against privatization and the deregulation of the housing sector, and defend housing rights in a spirit of solidarity and occupy empty properties and urban wasteland;
5. in the course of this everyday struggle there emerge from the communities, neighbourhoods and slums a number of alternatives which pre-figure not one but many possible models for public urban and rural policies, real alternatives for sustainable human development;
6. these forms of popular, social experience demonstrate the extraordinary capacity, ability and maturity of urban social movements in collective efforts to find creative and effective solutions to the various urban and rural problems;
7. these movements are different in origin, culture and geographical location, but they share the principle of solidarity and are deeply rooted in society; they have a common interest in building a possible alternative world and cities.

For these reasons, we believe we should undertake the task of giving global articulation to such discourse and initiatives as inhabitants’ associations, broadening alliances with other associations and social movements, local authorities, and all those who share the principles of housing rights and rights to the city.

We therefore urge and support:

• unity among urban social movements to create a global meeting place, in a spirit of collective solidarity, for comparing experience, forming a public debate and proposals, supporting initiatives; a meeting place based on the mutual recognition of cultural diversity, but also on complementarity and balance for our right to organize ourselves autonomously as an international urban movement;
• participation at the meeting of urban social movements in the World Social Forum 2005 at Porto Alegre to continue the exchange of experience and discussion, setting a common agenda on the regional and global level, starting from the struggle security of housing tenure, dignity and zero evictions:

- popular control over the payment of social debts and the cancellation of foreign debts
- the re-launching public urban and housing policies and opposition to privatization.
Our co-ordination and agreement represents one of the most important challenges to neo-liberal globalization. Only in this way will we be able to build another possible world and other possible cities.

Never again will the struggle be an isolated one!

Promoters:
* International Alliance of Inhabitants
* Vincenzo Simoni Unione Inquilini, Italy
* Giuseppe la Biunda, Cooperativa Coralli, Italy
* Jean Baptiste Eyraud Droit au Logement, France
* Sidiki Daff, CERPAC , Senegal
* Penda Ndiaye, Réseau des Femmes pour l'Acces au Foncier et a l'Habitat, Senegal
* Hameye Timbaleck Traore, Assistance Reconversion Developpement, Mali
* Ibrahima Diop, Reseau des Habitants pour le developpement de Medina Gounass, Senegal
* Rajeev John Gorge National Forum for Housing Rights, India
* Guillermo Rodriguez Curiel Frente Continental Organizaciones Comunales
* Father Daniele Moschetti, Kutoka Parish Network, Nairobi, Kenya
* Cristina Almazan, UCISV-Pobladores, Xalapa, Mexico
* Cheri Honkala Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, USA
* Francisco Caño Federación Regional de Asociaciones de Vecinos de Madrid, Spain
* Jennifer Cox Kensington Welfare Rights Union, USA
* Anselmo Schwertner Movimento Nacional de Luta pela Moradia, Brazil
* German Lomtev, All-Russian Housing, Moscou, Russia
* Raul Alayon Movimiento Uruguayo de los Sin Techo, Uruguay
* Abu Rayhan-Al-Beeroonee Shelter for the Poor, Bangladesh
* Juan Martinez, Consejo de Unidad Popular, Dominican Republic
* Union de Vecinos de Valle Gomez, Mexico
* Foro Ciudadano por la Ciudad que Queremos, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
* Socrates Orlando Peguero, Frente Progresista Caletero, Dominican Republic
* Ernesto Jiménez Olin, Unión Popular Valle Gómez, Mexico D.F., Mexico
* Marina Ragush, Association of tenants "Habitat", Serbia-Montenegro
* Santos Mota, CODECOV, Dominican Republic

Who has signed the appeal (220)

• Nasreen Mahamood Nasreen, Partnership of Women in Action (PaWA) - Bangladesh
• Jamil Ahmed, South Howrah Model School - India
• Josephine Grey , Low Income Families Together (LIFT) - Canada
• Leonardo Melo, CEASM- Centro de Estudos e Ações Solidárias da Maré - Brazil
• Abdelkader Boudhene, Fundacion Himalaya Conciencia,Humanismo,Amor,Vision.Emocion,Seva , Simram y Sirang - Venezuela
• ETIENNE Marcel, Ma Cabane - France
• akoi ahizi paul, ALLIANCE IVOIRIENNE POUR L'HABITAT - Cote D Ivoire
• ana maria sanchez, coop.participaren abasto - Argentina
• José Daniel Barbagallo, Movimiento de Ocupantes e Inquilinos/Buenos Aires/Argentina - Argentina
• Socorro Pérez, Art-mirall - Spain
• Angel Monge, Oficina asesoramiento a inquilinos en situacion de abuso. Ayuntamiento Sevilla - Spain
• Franco Pignotti, Aloe - Italy
• FELICIANO FERNANDEZ, MOVIMIENTO DE LIBERACION CARLOS MUGICA - Argentina
• Sandra Amparo Castillo, Ciudad Alternativa - Dominican Republic
• Horng Try, Oxfam - Cambodia
• claudia lara, foro social urbano tierra del fuego ushuaia - Argentina
• Sauquat Hussain, Center for Clean Development - India
• Tafadzwa Muropa, Swedish Co-operative Centre - Zimbabwe
• Donny Reyes, Asoc. LGBT ARCOIRIS DE HONDURAS - Honduras
• sebastian tello del carpio, grupo de iniciativa urbana-giu - Peru
• Miguel Macias, Liga de Inquilinos la Corriente - Spain
• Gabriela Allidi Cuba, Plataforma por una vivienda digna - Spain
• HONVOU Y. Toussaint, Benin National Fellowship of Reconciliation (Monar-Benin) - Benin
• JUAN CARLOS AVILA, BARZON CIUDAD DE MEXICO - Mexico
• Ilaria Boniburini, Zone onlus - Italy
• Ramiro García, DESCO, Centro de Estudios y Promoción del Desarrollo - Peru
• Marco Antonio Moreno Gaytán, Sociedad Ecologista Hidalguense A. C. - Mexico
• Kathiresan Karuppiah, AKSHAYA Rehabilitation Trust - INDIA - India
• Kevin Reilly, Manawatu Tenants Union - New Zealand
• dott. Francesco Laquidara - ufficiale giudiziario, - Italy
• Nicanor Janampa, FOVELIC - Peru
• carlos ortiz arias, gestion social del habitat - Mexico
• Josefina Mena-Abraham, Grupo de Tecnología Alternativa SC - Mexico
• Yiannis Schizas, OIKOLOGEIN magazine - Greece
• Remigio González Serantes, Asociación de Vecinos "El Olimpo" - Spain
• Cristina Lescano, cooperativa El Ceibo R.S.U. - Argentina
• Cristina Reynals, FEDEVI - Argentina
• Fernando Ojeda, Red de habitat Argentina - Argentina
• Abu Rayhan Al-Beeroonee Al-Beeroonee, Shelter for the Poor - Bangladesh
• C. W. Enwefah, National Union of Tenants of Nigeria - Nigeria
• Claudio Patrizi, AmbienteWeb - Italy
• Rene Boer, KRAX barcelona - Spain
• Sandra Cangemi, Comitato Inquilini Molise Calvairate Ponti - Italy
• kusa bunkete marie julia, fondation orphelinat au congo foc - Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The
• Luther blisset, Sudpontino SocialForum - Italy
• Daniel Busso, Construir para la Libertad - Argentina
• Carla Karina Avila Cordova, COFEVI -Comunidades de fe y vida de El Salvador - El Salvador
• Ershad Mazumder, Right To Shelter- Bangladesh (RS-B) - Bangladesh
• Ricardo M., Frente Nacional de Lucha Social para la Vivienda y el Hábitat - Venezuela
• MAURICIO ELIO GABRIEL MANZONI, RELAC-SISS (Red Latinoamericana de Ciudades Solidarias, Inclusivas, Saludables y Sustentables) - Argentina
• José Ignacio Távara Castillo, INICIATIVA. Asociación para el Desarrollo Humano - Peru
• Cristian Manzur, Asociación Civil Fortalecer Misiones - Argentina
• Frank Barroso, Movimento Cidade Futura - Brazil
• Ricardo J. Espejo T., Centro de Estudiantes de Ingenieria LUZ-COL / Excelencia Universitaria 97 - Venezuela
• Juan José Diez De Medina Tirado, Asociación Boliviana de Cultura - Derechos Fundamentales ABC-DF - Bolivia
• Peter Rachleff, Jewish Community Action, Twin Cities - United States
• Anna La Vista, Comitato di lotta per la casa Roma - Italy
• Silvia Paredes , Foro Social Urbano - Ushuaia - CTA - Argentina
• AHM Bazlur Rahman, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) - Bangladesh
• arturo nilo, comitato per il diritto alla casa - cittadini di caivano - napoli - Italy
• carlos martinez araujo, comite nacional de los 63 pueblos indigenas,a.c. - Mexico
• ERNESTO DOMINGO PAEZ, ONG-MO.DE.VI.FA. (Movimiento en defensa de la Vivienda Familiar) MENDOZA - Argentina
• GHARBI Abdelaziz, Comité National des régies de quartier - France
• Tomás Ezequiel Correa Rodríguez, centro Estudios del Habitat y los Asentamientos Humanos - Panama
• Fotso vincent de paul, Prosofor - Cameroon
• Mar Samos, Ecologistas en Acción - Sodepaz Balamil - Spain
• Ildefonso Vara Mayo, Ecologistas en Acción - Spain
• Noel Inocencio Valencia, Popular Education for People's Empowerment (PEPE) - Philippines
• Edgardo Benitez maclin, Alianza Verde (Ecologistas) - Honduras , -
• Joseph Antoine, Friends of the Earth-Grenada - Grenada , -
• Domenica Canepari, associaz. equo solidale - Italy , -
• Emilia Pablos arroyo, ViviendaDigna - Spain , -
• Maurizio Benazzi, Ecumenici newsletter - Italy , -
• Soledad Ferrer, Plataforma por una vivienda digna - Spain , -
• Juan jesus Berm?dez ferrer, Ecologistas en Accion de La Laguna - Spain , -
• Alessandro Rho, Il Laboratorio - Italy , -
• Maria Carretero mayor, vivienda digna - Spain , -
• Gigi Perrone, comitato per la difesa dei diritti degli immigrati - Italy , -
• Tamara Idrobo, Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights - Netherlands , -
• Giulio Vanzan, Vip Verona - Italy , -
• Diego Ottolini, Children's Community Safety Nets - Kenya , -
• Domenico Liuzzi, kulima - Mozambique , -
• Jean Koueda koung, Global Village Cameroon - Cameroon , -
• Khuram Gull, Save Our World ( Youth Innitiative) - Pakistan , -
• Juan jose Diez de medina, Mecanismo Nacional de Control Social (Vecinos y Havitat) - Bolivia , -
• Carlos esteban Escalante estrada, Comite de campana por el derecho a vivienda digna de Peru - Peru , -
• Rub?n Zavala, Asociacion Solidaridad y Accion ASA - Ecuador , -
• Pablo a. De la vega m., Centro de Documentacion en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo S.J." - Ecuador , -
• Christian D agostino, aljf ivry - France , -
• Alejandro Lu?vano, COPEVI A. C. - Mexico , -
• Ines Fernandez, Asamblea de Palermo Viejo - Argentina , -
• Diana isabel Ech?iz aquino, Proyecto Correo de la Esperanza Regional Peninsular - Ecuador , -
• Paolo Mongiorgi, associazione N.A.Di.R. onlus - Italy , -
• Alessandra Mangano, Associazione Aconcagua - Italy , -
• Stefano Poli, el ceibo - Italy , -
• Oscar Revilla alguacil, CGT - Spain , -
• Marie-france Vaures, POUR LOGER - France , -
• Oellerich Joachim, Berliner MieterGemeinschaft - Germany , -
• Enrico Muller, fratelli delle scuole cristiane - Italy , -
• Annalisa Caso, Commercio Equo - Italy , -
• Anna maria Zabai, V.I.D.E.S. - Italy , -
• Ahm bazlur rahman S21br, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication - South Asia , -
• El hadji Fall, ASSOCIATION DES JEUNES DES HLM MONTAGNE - Senegal , -
• Gianna Berti, Ass. Amici del Guatemala Siena - Italy , -
• Piccolo Davide, Rete Lilliput Padova - Italy , -
• Narii no?l Tauira, Syndicat des locataires des consorts juventin de Tipaerui - French Polynesia , -
• Jeanine Charron, Colegio maison de l?enfance - Spain , -
• Mario Mugnai, fondo etico le piagge firenze - Italy , -
• Barbara Ghisletti, Fabbrica della Pace - Italy , -
• Raffaella Chiodo, SDEBITARSI Campagna per la cancellazione del debito - Italy , -
• Valeria Varnero, Caritas Italiana - Italy , -
• Indu prakash Singh, Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan/ ActionAid International India - India , -
• Mirco Maselli, Amani Onlus ONG - Italy , -
• Davide Quaglia, Cailcedrat - Italy , -
• Gaetano Bonifacio, Associazione di Volontariato OASI - Italy , -
• Fernando Ojeda, El Ceibo T.B - Argentina , -
• Rita Maralla, ambalaki - Italy , -
• Flavio Attolini, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista - Prc - Italy , -
• Genrry Gonzalez, Centro de Ivestigacion y Accion Popular (CIAPO) - Dominican Republic , -
• Mohon kumar mondal Mohon, Gana Unnayan Sangstha (GUS) - Bangladesh , -
• Vanni Maggioni, nordsud onlus - Italy , -
• Lorenzo Vicentini, mandacaru - Italy , -
• Yiannis Schizas, ECOTOPIA - Greece , -
• Lino Fraschetti, Coopaerativa ACLI srl - Italy , -
• Luca Clochiatti, Missionari Laici Comboniani - Italy , -
• Filippo J?rg, Pretirocinio d'integrazione - Switzerland , -
• Maria Batt?, bilanci di giustizia - Italy , -
• Hariram t Dhilliwala, Mumbai Urban Poor Forum - India , -
• Mohmed jahirul Warsi, People's Organisation of Wadala for Equality and Rights(POWER) - India , -
• Yashwant babu Kshirsagar, People's Responsible Organisation of United Dharavi(PROUD) - India , -
• Prashanth k Anthony, Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society(CISRS) - India , -
• Manuel Sanchez ramirez, Frente Popular Jalisciense - Mexico , -
• Adel Azzabi, association des habitants d' elmourouj - Tunisia , -
• Clotilde Marquez cruz, Fundacion Apachita - Bolivia , -
• Pierre Perio, Confederation Generale du Logement - France , -
• Pierluigi Alessandrini, COMITATO LOTTA PER LA CASA DEL CENTRO STORICO - Italy , -
• Arianna Borghi, Diocesi di Reggio Emilia Guastalla - Italy , -
• Edgardo Hornos, Ciudadania Social - Argentina , -
• Gianni Cavinato, ACU-Associazione Consumatori Utenti Onlus - Italy , -
• Martino Coppola, chiama l'africa - Italy , -
• Haris Konstantatos, Initiative for the Right to the City - Greece , -
• Jean-paul Brigand, eExpertise - Portugal , -
• Luigi Pirelli, Lilliput Network - Rome node - Italy , -
• Jinchang Liu, International Labour Organization - Swaziland , -
• Irene Dillo, Mindanao Tri-Peopel Women Resource Center - Philippines , -
• Giovanni Caporale, gruppo acquisto solidale Padova Colli - Italy , -
• Shamsun nahar Shamsun, Saptadinga - Bangladesh , -
• Manuel juan Casttro-torres velarde, FLEX-ARq - Peru , -
• Eliezer Colon rivera, EDDUCA - Puerto Rico , -
• Julian Caspari, Schools Without Borders - Canada , -
• Delia Mallea, GAMARO Educadores Sociales - Chile , -
• Sebastian Tello del carpio, Mesa de Concertacion de lucha contra la Pobreza - Cono Norte - Peru , -
• Walter ernesto Heredia martinez, PROCAM - Peru , -
• Roger antonio Muro guardian, Grupo Iniciativas Urbanas - GIU - Peru , -
• Arianna Giovannini, Coordinamento per la pace - Italy , -
• Nando Di curzio, G.I.M. Padova - Italy , -
• Ignazio Roi, parrocchia Regina del Rosario - Italy , -
• Carla Indulti, Centro di Aiuto alla Vita - Italy , -
• Dorotea Giuliodori, Caritas - Italy , -
• Mariapia Mainardi, Associazione Questacitta - consigliera regionale Veneto - Italy , -
• Michele Storti, ITALIA NOSTRA - Italy , -
• Stefania Ventura, Sinistra Ds Lecce - Italy , -
• Laura Sassaroli, sermigo - Italy , -
• Massimo Bondioli, Amici di Emmaus - Italy , -
• Charles Bouzols, Citoyens et Initiatives pour la VIe Locale, l'Insertion sur le Territoire et l'Economie Solidaire (C.I.V.I.L.I.T.E.S) - France , -
• Celestino Pucci, gioventu francescana - Italy , -
• Lorenzo Mazz?, bresciasocialforum - Italy , -
• Shalaby Ala, Arab Org. for Human Rights - Egypt , -
• Vito Montrone, Arci Puglia - Italy , -
• Claudio Patrizi, AmbienteWeb - Italy , -
• Claudio Patrizi, Spazio Radio - Italy , -
• Ana carolina Netto, Projeto Cabu?u - Brazil , -
• Lovinsky Pierre-antoine, Fondation Trente Septembre - United States , -
• Andrea Santi, Unione Inquilini, Italia - Italy , -
• Juan Espejo, Traperos De Emaus Lambayeque Peru - Peru , -
• Teodoro Pe?a carrasco, COPLAN Y CERSOC - Ecuador , -
• Carlos Ortiz arias, comision estatal de agua y saneamiento - Mexico , -
• Enrico Muller, fratelli delle scuole cristiane - Italy , -
• Michel C?t?, Mouvement Action Ch?mage de Longueuil - Canada , -
• Marco Schincaglia, cub-sallca - Italy , -
• Domenico Lopresto, UNIONE INQUILINI - Italy , -
• Loredana Poli, laboratorio di pace - Italy , -
• Alessio Barone, Giovane Impegno Missionario - Italy , -
• Riccardo Marchio, GIM Padova - Italy , -
• Rosario Valdeavellano, Religiosa del Sagrado Corazon - Italy , -
• Alessandro Iadecola, cresme - Italy , -
• Mariangela Zecchini, Emmaus - Italy , -
• Paolo Di vetta, Delegato alla Casa - Municipio Roma III - Italy , -
• Fabrizio Nizi, ACTIon - Agenzia Comunitaria Diritti, Roma - Italy , -
• Antonio Nusca, aifo gruppo aq - Italy , -
• Elena Rastello, Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco - Kenya , -
• Angelo Galato, Legambiente - Italy , -
• Mauro Sorghienti, Volere Volare - Italy , -
• Michele Carlini, Misssionari Saveriani - Italy , -
• Angela Pieri, ucodep - Italy , -
• Antonio Arnau carrillo de albornoz, Esquerra Unida del Pais Valencia - Spain , -
• Annalisa Ubertoni, commercio equo - Italy , -
• Julio Romero, Centro Cultural Ferroviario El Perro - Argentina , -
• Maria monica Roverio, associazione culturale sottosopra - Italy , -
• Gisela Mendez, Universidad de Colima - Mexico , -
• Donatella Coppi, Rete Radie Resch - Italy , -
• Maria giovanna Mayo, Associazione Popoli e Culture-Onlus - Italy , -
• Elisa Ragazzi, Gim Padova - Italy , -
• Ida Colombo, Misioneras Combonianas - Spain , -
• Ruben Botello, World Homeless Union - United States , -
• Alberto Lucchina, parrocchia - Italy , -
• Beatrice Benesperi, Amnesty International - Italy , -
• Franca maria Bagnoli, Retenonviolenta Abruzzo - Italy , -
• Radovan Milicevic, Forum NGOs Kraljevo- Serbia - Serbia and Montenegro , -
• Diego giuseppe Pelizzari, consiglio indigenista missionario - Brazil , -
• Patrizia Farronato, coordinamento Nord-Sud altovicentino - Italy , -
• Gianni Meazza, Ass.Dimensioni Diverse - Italy , -
• Sabina Grillo, GIM - Italy , -
• Lorenzo Mazzucato, RSU - Cciaa Padova - Italy , -
• Anna Mosconi, Beati costruttori di pace - Italy , -
• Edgar Serrano, Universita di Padova (Italy) - Italy , -
• Claudio Didero, Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII - China , -
• Marianela Pinales, COPADEBA - Espacio de Coordinacion por la Defensa del Territorio y los T?tulos de Propiedad - Dominican Republic , -
• Domenica Canepari, associazioneequosolidale lecco - Italy , -
• Michele Basso, Gim Padova - Italy , -