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.