Geneva Trip 2024

This international gathering marked the second official meeting of the European Student Cooperative Housing Association (ESCHA), hosted in Geneva by urbaMonde in collaboration with Cooperative Housing International and ESCHA members. 

It was held alongside the CoHabitat Network’s 10th anniversary, bringing together over 20 grassroots housing organisations and 12 student housing co-ops from 7 European countries.

October 2 – Welcome & Solidarity Celebration

• Venue: Le Bateau Genève (historic steamboat turned social venue)

• Activities: Networking, buffet, and a Celtic folk concert by The Emigrants

• Purpose: Celebrate CoHabitat’s decade of solidarity and welcome ESCHA participants

Photo by Mike Shaw

October 3 – Housing Co-op Tours in Geneva

• Organised by: urbaMonde with La Ciguë, CODHA, and Equilibre

• Visits included:

  • La Ciguë: Student-led, self-managed co-op with 311 rooms

  • CODHA: Participatory co-op with 759 units built and 861 in development

  • Equilibre: Ecological and socially inclusive co-op with 118 units built

• Focus: Architecture, governance, sustainability, and resident experiences

October 4 – Workshops & Strategy Sessions

• Venue: L’Espace, Geneva

• Morning: Presentations from co-ops across Europe (Switzerland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, UK)

  • Afternoon Workshops:

  • Founding new co-ops

  • Financing and loans

  • Conflict moderation

  • ESCHA’s future direction

• Interactive session: Participants shared needs and suggestions for PESCHA’s development

• Strengthened international solidarity among student housing co-ops.

• Shared practical knowledge on governance, funding, and conflict resolution.

• Reinforced ESCHA’s role as a growing European network.

• Highlighted the need for policy support and ethical financing to scale co-op housing.

Student co-ops from Ireland, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Hungary, and Switzerland.

Allies from global housing justice movements, including CoHabitat, urbaMonde, and Cooperative Housing International.

Thanks to the organisers and our funders who made this trip possible.