International Zero Evictions Marathon (ZEM) 2026, University of Padova, 29 and 30 October 2026
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Event date:
29-30 October 2026
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Time:
7:00-12:00 AM UTC
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Venue:
Online on Zoom and Youtube or on-site at the Human Rights Centre, via Beato Pellegrino 34, Padova
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On Thursday October 29th and Friday October 30th 2026, the Human Rights Centre ‘Antonio Papisca’ of the University of Padova, will host the third Zero Evictions Marathon, which collects testimonies, debates, studies and art against forced evictions.
The initiative is organised, as part of the World Zero Evictions Days (October 2026), by the Human Rights Centre in collaboration with the International Alliance of Inhabitants (IAI).
The 2026 ZEM will feature
- Two days of live sessions, recorded testimonies and videos on forced evictions
- A virtual exhibition of evocative, documentary and/or artistic photographs on the impact of forced evictions on children
The 2026 ZEM will focus on
- Attacks on human rights, housing and land rights defenders
- Massive displacements linked to neoliberal extractivist policies and biased anti-climate crisis measures
- Forced evictions caused by urban planning choices and major works and projects
- Forced evictions caused by the disregard of the social function of property
- The impact of AI on the housing sector and the governance of territories as a cause of forced evictions
- Urbicide and domicide as war strategies violating human rights and the rights of peoples
- The worldwide rise of homelessness and its criminalisation
- Silent evictions due to financial challenges affecting tenants and homeowners.
The 2026 ZEM goals are
- To offer a shared international platform for social organisations and networks to denounce violations of the right to housing and related human rights and to collect and support proposals for solutions
- To strengthen solidarity at all levels with people and communities facing evictions and the defenders of the right to housing
- To promote collaboration and a proactive approach among social, academic and institutional actors, and engage regional and international organisations (UN, UN-Habitat, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, other UN Special Rapporteurs, EU, OAS, AU, etc.)
- To promote research and training initiatives on the right to adequate housing and disseminate research results.
If you wish to contribute to the ZEM, please fill in this online form.
Deadline for submissions: September 25th 2026.
The selected contributions will be communicated on October 1st 2026.
The ZEM will feature live sessions and recorded contributions across time zones: on October 29th, contributions from the Asia-Pacific and Africa; on October 30th, contributions from Europe and the Americas.
Koldo Casla, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, is expected to intervene.
The ZEM can be followed live in face-to-face mode in Padova (via Beato Pellegrino, 34, at the Human Rights Centre) or online on the University's Zoom platform. A live stream will be available on the Human Rights Centre’s YouTube channel.
On the Zoom platform, a simultaneous translation service will be available in English, Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese at the following link: https://unipd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rOg6YiTURm-7D-tYoI1UcQ
The Human Rights Centre premises will be open to students and the general public.
The full programme will be available on this webpage soon.
Download the Call for Proposals in your preferred language!
Contacts