ICNL’s Global Forum
A Brief History (2005-2015)
Between 2005 and 2015, ICNL regularly convened its Global Forum, a one-of-a-kind platform that brought together leading thinkers with the aim of assessing where civil society stands – and how to make it stand taller.
Through interactive, action-oriented sessions designed to build skills, ICNL aimed to inspire people to think boldly and creatively about positively shaping civic space, from the smallest of small-town settings to the global stage.
2015 Global Forum: Video Recap
2015 Global Forum
Stockholm, Sweden
From May 10-12, 2015, 230 global leaders from 80 countries convened in Stockholm, Sweden to advance civil society law under the theme of “Shaping Civic Space.”
Welcome remarks were delivered by US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon. A total of 39 sessions were held, with key themes including civil society’s access to resources, peaceful protest, and civic space and development.
ICNL also sponsored an Images for Advocacy contest, with participants invited to submit unique photos and other images representing the Forum theme. Finalists can be viewed here.
“It was a great time for me to learn and meet people from different parts of the world and especially to seek their support on our advocacy efforts.”
— Saroeun Soeung, 2015 Global Forum Participant from Cambodia
2011 Global Forum
Stockholm, Sweden
From August 21-23, 2011, 200 global leaders from 83 countries convened in Stockholm, Sweden to advance civil society law.
Welcome remarks were delivered by two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Keynote remarks were delivered by Swedish Minister of International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.
In addition, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Maina Kiai held his first global NGO consultation with many of the 200+ Forum delegates.
2005 Global Forum
Istanbul, Turkey
ICNL organized the first-ever Global Forum on Civil Society Law in November 2005 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The conference brought together 150 participants from over 60 countries. As follow-up to the Forum, ICNL worked with in-country partners to address NGO legal issues in Egypt, Russia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, Jordan, China, Colombia, South Africa, Mexico, Jordan, Honduras, Venezuela, the Gulf States, and Vietnam.
