ICCA Announces 2024 Hong Kong Programme Theme
ICCA is delighted to announce the theme for the XXVIth ICCA Congress, “International Arbitration: A Human Endeavour”. The Congress will be held in Hong Kong from 5 – 8 May 2024.
The Programme Committee for ICCA 2024 Hong Kong is co-chaired by Chiann Bao (Arbitration Chambers) and Audley Sheppard KC (Clifford Chance). The members of the Programme Committee are:
- Mark W. Friedman (Debevoise & Plimpton)
- Evgeniya Goriatcheva (Permanent Court of Arbitration)
- Maanas Jain (Three Crowns/Young ICCA Co-Chair)
- Judith Levine (Levine Arbitration)
- Michael McIlwrath (MDisputes)
- V K Rajah (Duxton Hill Chambers)
- Patricia Saiz González (ESADE Law School)
- May Tai (Herbert Smith Freehills)
With the theme of “International Arbitration: A Human Endeavour,” this Congress focuses on the individual as a participant in the international arbitration system.
In the words of the Programme Co-Chairs: “The Congress turns the telescope around and examines the impact of human nature and behaviour on international arbitration. And the impact of arbitration on the individual participants. How do people apply their intelligence, ingenuity and willpower to achieve desired outcomes and improve processes? What are the desired outcomes of the future? Will humans continue to be the key actors in international arbitration?”
The Congress will include topics such as: the economics of dispute resolution; culture and semantics; the art of persuasion; ethics and civility; social networks; diversity and inclusion; societal interests; the impact of technology; and training and capacity building. Delegates will hear from scholars, social scientists, futurologists and practitioners.
The Hong Kong Host Committee Co-Chairs, Neil Kaplan CBE KC SBS and Justin D’Agostino MH, and Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Secretary-General, Dr. Mariel Dimsey, stated: “The importance of the human element in arbitration is an excellent theme for the Hong Kong Congress – a venue where the world's arbitrators meet and innovate, and which has a proud tradition of leading the development of arbitration in Asia.”
For more than 60 years, ICCA Congresses have brought the international arbitration community together with the aim of developing dispute resolution theory and practice through discussion and debate. ICCA 2024 Hong Kong continues this long tradition.
Said ICCA President-Elect Stanimir Alexandrov: “It is with great pleasure that we invite the international arbitration community to attend the 2024 ICCA Congress in Hong Kong. With ‘International Arbitration: A Human Endeavour’ as the theme, the Congress will provide an opportunity to discuss the state of international arbitration today, with an emphasis on the many people and stakeholders that contribute to driving the field forward.”
ICCA President Lucy Reed said: “The strong Programme Committee is to be congratulated on devising a challenging and topical theme and being far along in building an equally challenging and topical Congress.”
Registration for ICCA 2024 Hong Kong is now open: icca2024.hk/registration.