ICCA Singapore 2012

Dear Delegates, Speakers and Friends,

I write to thank you for your invaluable contribution to the XXIst ICCA Congress in Singapore and to provide more information about significant developments in ICCA's structure and scope of activity. Last year, ICCA celebrated its 50th Anniversary; this year we look to the next 50 years by launching a renewed ICCA, open to membership by all.

The renewed ICCA will accept as members all those dispute resolution specialists who are committed to our goals of promoting and developing arbitration, conciliation and other forms of international dispute resolution. ICCA's Governing Board - the former ICCA Council - will continue to provide direction and leadership to this expanded organization. All members will be entitled to membership benefits including listing in a membership directory, discounts to ICCA publications and conferences, and participation in ICCA's new interest groups.

The "new" ICCA will consolidate and expand its existing activities. Our Congresses will continue to provide a platform for the exchange of challenging and controversial notions about the theory and the practice of arbitration. Our publications (all produced with the cooperation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration) will continue to provide up-to-date commentary and reporting on arbitral awards, court decisions and arbitral practice worldwide, in the form of the Yearbook Commercial Arbitration and International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration, as well as the Congress Series. We will build on the success of ICCA's Guide to the Interpretation of the 1958 New York Convention, launched in 2011 and already in its second printing, now available in Chinese, English, French and Portuguese, with further translations forthcoming.

Building on these strengths, the "new" ICCA will undertake projects aimed at further harmonizing international arbitral practice and promoting understanding of dispute resolution processes in jurisdictions worldwide. We will take our training sessions for judges (known as the "New York Convention Roadshow") even further afield; we will undertake research projects aimed at developing best practices in international arbitration; and we will engage with all the users of international dispute resolution -- practitioners, academics, judges, government advisers and corporate counsel.

I invite you now to view the full film footage of the Singapore Congress -- offered free of charge on our website -- viewing those sessions that you missed, or again being inspired by the words of eminent practitioners and academic thinkers, as well as the most diverse panel of sitting judges ever assembled at an ICCA Congress.

We look forward to welcoming you to full ICCA membership.

With best wishes,

Jan Paulsson,

ICCA President

Organising Committee:

• Michael Pryles (Chair)
• Natalie Chen
• Fathi Fadzil
• Rachel Foxton
• Minn Naing OO
• Vivian Sim

Programme Committee:

• Mr. V. V. Veeder QC (Chair)
• Mr. James Castello
• Ms. Rachel Foxton
• Prof. Emmanuel Gaillard
• Mr. Bernard Hanotiau
• Prof. Martin Hunter
• Prof. Dr. Michael Pryles
• Mr. William K. Slate II