It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend the XXVIth Congress of International Council for Commercial Arbitration which will be held in Hong Kong from 5 to 8 May 2024.

There is no better place than this city to host the Congress at this time. Hong Kong remains one of the world's most important financial centres, a vital node in the global flow of trade and capital, and a leading seat of international arbitration.

This global business hub has also been at the cutting edge of arbitral innovation since the 1980s. Today, the city's world-class commercial legal ecosystem is stronger than ever, with an outstanding infrastructure and enduring reputation for arbitration.

However, uncertainty and complexity has not abated with the pandemic's demise. There are new global realities and crises to debate, and regional and social issues and inequities to continue to address.

The ICCA Congress is the ideal occasion on which to gather from around the world to debate and strengthen international arbitration and dispute resolution for these uncertain times.

Hong Kong is the ideal setting for this discussion, as the city reminds us time and again that everything can be familiar, yet unfamiliar. A bustling city with acres of parklands, that trades containers, companies and crypto alike, and where Michelin stars adorn both fine dining salons and dai pai dongs. This city of commercial hustle exists side by side with academic innovation at the city's 14 universities and, for us especially, it is a vital bridge between the common law world and the new economies and legal traditions of Asia Pacific.

There is no more appropriate venue in which to connect, collaborate and create solutions for the challenges ahead. We look forward to welcoming you to the XXVIth ICCA Congress in Hong Kong.