IBA opens its 2026 Annual Conference in Copenhagen with the rule of law and Greenland at the centre of debate

Copenhagen, 4 October 2026. The International Bar Association (IBA) officially opened its 2026 Annual Conference in Copenhagen, bringing together more than 6,000 delegates from around the world for a week in which the rule of law, territorial sovereignty, international security and the responsibilities of the legal profession are among the central themes.

The Opening Ceremony began with a welcome from Lise Lotte Hjerrild and Søren Skibsted, co-chairs of the Host Committee, who greeted delegates on behalf of Denmark’s approximately 4,000-strong legal community. Their opening remarks also highlighted the distinctive composition of the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes the self-governing Faroe Islands and Greenland.

One of the principal speakers was Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and former Prime Minister, who focused on the continuing importance of international law as a framework for addressing even the most complex geopolitical and security disputes.

Rasmussen referred in particular to Greenland and the recent agreement between Greenland, Denmark and the United States on defence and security in the High Arctic. He argued that even where strategic interests are significant, disagreements are real and security concerns are pressing, diplomacy grounded in international law can deliver results.

The Minister also stressed the importance of protecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination, at a time when the Arctic has acquired increasing international strategic importance.

IBA President Claudio Visco returned to these themes in his presidential address, placing the rule of law at the centre of his remarks. Visco stressed that "sovereignty is not something to be bought, traded, or coerced" and highlighted the responsibility of the legal profession to act across national boundaries in defence of fundamental principles.

He called on lawyers to "speak up, create awareness and educate" on the rule of law and said the profession has a duty to organise itself "across borders and political divides to hold powers to account".

The ceremony also featured the IBA Rule of Law Educational Project, developed in collaboration with the Danish Bar and Law Society. More than 400 Danish students aged between 15 and 19 from seven secondary schools participated in the initiative, which was designed to help younger generations understand the principles of the rule of law and their significance for democratic societies.

Five student film projects were selected for professional production by the IBA and the Danish Bar and Law Society, and many of the students involved attended the Opening Ceremony.

The main keynote address was delivered by Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President of the International Peace Institute and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In a speech addressing challenges to legal and democratic norms around the world, Prince Zeid called for greater moral consistency and clarity in the defence of human rights and the rule of law. He argued that these qualities are essential if advocacy for human rights and legal principles is to retain its credibility and effectiveness.

The Opening Ceremony therefore set the tone for a week in which the international legal community will examine the increasingly close relationship between law, geopolitics, artificial intelligence, international security, human rights, judicial independence and the transformation of the legal profession.

The IBA Annual Conference 2026 takes place in Copenhagen from 4–9 October.

Key facts

• More than 6,000 delegates are attending the IBA Annual Conference 2026 in Copenhagen.
• Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen addressed the Opening Ceremony.
• Greenland, territorial sovereignty and Arctic security featured prominently in his remarks.
• IBA President Claudio Visco called on the legal profession to play an active role in defending the rule of law.
• Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered the main keynote address.
• More than 400 students participated in the IBA Rule of Law Educational Project developed with the Danish Bar and Law Society.
• The conference runs from 4–9 October 2026.