27 June 2024: Dr Nilufer Oral was invited to speak at the 81^st International Law Association (ILA) Conference 2024 in Athens Organized by the Hellenic Branch.

International law constantly evolves, moves forward; but in what direction and who contributes thereto? What does moving forward mean? Ever expanding and progressing towards a liberal ideal or shrinking in front of insurmountable challenges and forces that undermine the international legal order? And which fields showcase more pertinently the dilemmas that international law is encountering? The 2024 Biennial Conference purports to launch a multilevel discussion regarding the future of international law: perennial questions surrounding state sovereign and challenges of international law’s enforcement are today accentuated by urgent crisis: climate change, populism. War, economic inequalities, backlash regarding the protection of human rights, revival of the domestic affairs mantra, corruption, international law faces increasingly serious risks. Yet at the same time, this move forward reflects a more diversified and inclusive legal order: new actors (civil society, local authorities, the international community as a whole), new lawmaking methods (best practices, model laws and guidelines) and new means of enforcement confirm the relevance and robustness of the international legal order.

The conference seeks to showcase new practices and innovative research in various fields of international law, such as the sources doctrine, state sovereignty, international human rights law, international economic law, international environmental law, jus ad bellum and jus in bello etc. New tendencies, such as the greening of energy law or the gendering of human rights protection, will be highlighted. In this framework, the 2024 Biennial Conferences launches a Call for Papers on 4 specific angles of the general Conference theme. In addition to these proposed sessions, the ILA Committees and Study Groups will be submitting and presenting Reports and resolutions at the Conference.

The panel that Nilufer chaired was titled “The Seas of our Future” and speakers included:

• Irini Papanicolopulu - British Academy Global Professor of International Law, SOAS
• Anna Petrig - University of Basel
• Vasco Becker - Weinberg, MEP, Portuguese Institute of the Law of the Sea
• Alexander Proelss - University of Hamburg
• Philippe Hermes - Tethys Naval

The Conference was held from 25-28 June 2024 in Athens. More about the conference at the link: https://ilaathens2024.gr/