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Opening & keynote address

Kaldor Centre Director, Daniel Ghezelbash opens the 2025 conference and introduces Mohammed Naeem, Senior Director, Advocacy Strategy at Refugees International. Followed by an audience Q&A.ÌýUnderstand why the Refugee Convention remains vital and why implementation, not the law itself, is failing. Discover why imagination and community-driven solutions are key to designing inclusive, lasting systems.Ìý

Panel 1 -ÌýConversations across divides: Fostering constructive dialogue in the public square

In an era of polarisation, how can we build shared understanding about refugee protectionÌý– especially when misinformation, algorithmic echo chambers and racial anxieties cloud the conversation? This panel will explore evidence-based strategies for fostering constructive public engagement on refugee and migration issues. Drawing on insights from research, policy and practice, speakers will examine how to build common ground across political and cultural divides, and how to amplify refugee voices in shaping the conversation. At a time when fear often overrides facts, this discussion will highlight what works to foster honest, respectful dialogue.

Panel 2 - From rhetoric to reality: Centering the meaningful participation of refugees

Refugee communities and refugee-led organisations have made their message clear: 'Nothing about us without us.' Meaningful refugee participation is more than a principle. It’s a necessary foundation for creating solutions that are effective, inclusive and sustainable. How do aspiring allies go beyond good intentions to centre the inclusion and meaningful participation of refugees? This panel will explore opportunities for reform and practical strategies that individuals, organisations and institutions can use to shift power dynamics and build authentic partnerships with refugee communities.

Panel 3 - All together now: Mobilising whole-of-society responses to international protection

At this moment marked by geopolitical retreat and shrinking humanitarian budgets, traditional State-led refugee protection mechanisms are under immense strain. The Trump administration’s rollback of refugee resettlement and the ongoing funding cuts to UNHCR have left significant gaps in the global protection architecture. This panel explores how whole-of-society approaches – that mobilise actors across government, civil society, the private sector, academia and refugee-led initiatives – can offer a resilient and inclusive response to these challenges.

Closing keynote address:

A powerful closing address on bridging divides, through truth, empathy, and collective action. This is a call for real reform, to create systems that work for refugees and communities alike.