From Governance to Global Housing: Highlights from FIABCI Spring Symposium USA 2026

Apr 28, 2026 Latest News

Last week, the Delegates Dining Room and West Terrace at the United Nations hosted over 80 delegates who took part in the FIABCI Spring Symposium USA 2026.

Traditionally a FIABCI-USA event centered around the installation ceremony, this year’s Spring Symposium, however, embraced a more international approach: one that reflects FIABCI’s close collaboration with its Principal Members, a core pillar of the organization, its continued commitment to strengthening its relationship with the United Nations, and its strong support for local chapters.

Hosting the event at the Delegates Dining Room and West Terrace at the United Nations was both meaningful and intentional, as FIABCI and the United Nations share a long-standing relationship. Since 1971, FIABCI has held roster status, and since 1996, Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This enables the federation to actively contribute to global discussions, bringing private-sector expertise into conversations on real estate, housing, and sustainable urban development.

Governance

Kicking off the Spring Symposium, the FIABCI Board of Directors came together for a productive lunch and meeting as part of the Governance segment of the FIABCI Spring Symposium USA 2026. The meeting focused on key priorities, setting the direction for the Federation, including:

Financial Performance and Oversight
Global Events
Chapter & Membership Development
Education & Designation Programs
Strategic Planning – Vision 2035

These discussions reflect FIABCI’s ongoing commitment to strong governance, chapter growth, and advancing excellence in support of the Federation’s mission and strategic goals.

Business Luncheon, Forum & Installation Ceremony

Remy Sietchiping, Deputy Director and Officer-in-Charge of the UN-Habitat Liaison Office in New York, delivered a keynote address, representing a shared vision and deep commitment to advancing the SDGs, particularly Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. A strong advocate for collaboration and partnerships to accelerate progress on SDG 11 and beyond, Mr. Sietchiping's participation at the Spring Symposium emphasized that UN-Habitat is a valued global partner of FIABCI—a collaboration that is long-standing, active, and impactful.

Together, FIABCI and UN-Habitat engage in global platforms such as the World Urban Forum and contribute to initiatives aligned with the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, including the City Prosperity Initiative, “The City We Need is Affordable,” and the Global Charter for Real Estate Professionals.

The second part of the program featured the forum “The Housing Crisis: What Is the Plan?”, closely connected to FIABCI’s participation in the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum, taking place from May 17 to 22 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The forum served as a preview of FIABCI’s contributions and the theme of its presence at the event.

Moderated by FIABCI Secretary-General Narek Arakelyan, the session brought together principal members, partner association leaders, chapter representatives, and public-sector members, who shared their perspectives on housing challenges across regions and sectors. Eight distinguished speakers—from Australia to Brazil, from Nigeria to Canada, and beyond—shared insights, data, and recommendations. Their contributions will be consolidated into a global paper to be presented on behalf of FIABCI by Antonio Campagnoli at WUF13.

The FIABCI-USA President & Board Installation Ceremony followed, under the guidance of FIABCI Honorary World President Julian Josephs as master of ceremonies. The audience came together to recognize leadership, continuity, and the promising direction ahead for FIABCI-USA.

The day concluded with a panel discussion on global investment trends.

Special Acknowledgements

The active engagement of participants, along with the continued support of FIABCI’s global partners and event sponsors, played a vital role in making the event a success. FIABCI expresses its sincere gratitude for their commitment to the organization and the global real estate community.

Gold Sponsors

Foxworth Realty Universal Consulting Opportunities / Stellar MLS

Silver Sponsors

Florida Realtors
The Maria Babaev Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate
von Hauff Holding GmbH
Real Estate Future Forum
Housing Development & Neighborhood Preservation Corporation

Bronze Sponsors

Monica Mauricio – RE/MAX Experts
Ritu Rani Pahwa PA
Treasure Dragon Corp.
Il Punto
Tsui Ying Hsu – Douglas Elliman Real Estate
My Global Partner in Real Estate
Susan Greenfield – Brown Harris Stevens
Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors

The themes explored during the FIABCI Spring Symposium USA 2026 will also be central to discussions at the 76th FIABCI World Real Estate Congress in Vienna, Austria, from June 8 to 12, 2026.