About the
Geneva Forum
A convening on the state of multilateral justice — in Geneva, on the International Day of Multilateralism.
What the Forum is
The Geneva Forum is a day-long convening held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. It examines one pressing challenge to the international legal order: a specific threat to the independence of international courts, a specific compliance failure in international humanitarian or human rights law, and a specific pattern of state conduct that erodes the multilateral system.
The Forum is deliberately narrow in format — two working sessions, a limited number of speakers, public Q&A, and an inclusive roundtable — and deliberately broad in participation, bringing state delegations, scholars, civil society, and legal practitioners into one dialogue space.
Why 24 April
On 12 December 2018, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 24 April as the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace (A/RES/73/127).
The resolution calls, in its operative paragraphs, for educational and public awareness-raising activities to strengthen the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
The Geneva Forum is one such activity — convened in Geneva, on the exact date the General Assembly chose, to give that commitment a working venue.
01
Theme selection
The programme committee identifies one compliance or institutional question of immediate international significance.The theme must be legally substantive, anchored in live cases or live norms, and suitable for multi-stakeholder examination.
02
Speaker convening
Speakers are invited on the basis of expertise, not representation. Academic jurists, practitioners, state representatives, and civil society experts are balanced to ensure that the examination is legal first and political only where law and politics are inseparable.
03
The Forum
Two sessions, structured presentations, open roundtables, and a closing announcement of the Geneva Statement. Hybrid format: in-person at the Palais des Nations and a moderated live broadcast.
04
The Geneva Statement
The Statement is finalised in the weeks following the Forum, opened for signature, and circulated to Permanent Missions, partner institutions, and the media. Selected outputs feed into the following year's theme.
Independence
Participants appear in their personal or institutional capacity; their contributions reflect their own views, not those of the Forum or its partners. This Forum is a platform for civil society and beyond.
Note
The Geneva Forum has no commercial interests. There are no participation fees; all organisational expenses are covered by the participating partner organisations and through in-kind contributions. An association is currently being established as the Forum's permanent host. Until its constitution, Digital Business Consulting Osseili (dbco.) acts as the interim publisher solely to fulfil formal disclosure obligations under Swiss law.
Contact: info (at) genevaforum (dot) org
Press: press (at) genevaforum (dot) org