Nuremberg Forum 2026: A Critical Alliance - The UN Charter and the Nuremberg Principles, International Nuremberg Principles Academy [Hybrid, Nuremberg, 7-9 October 2026; Free Registration]

The Nuremberg Forum is the flagship annual conference of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy. The 2026 edition, titled A Critical Alliance: the UN Charter and the Nuremberg Principles - Peace and Security in a Fragmented World, runs from 7 to 9 October 2026 in Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, with online participation open alongside the in-person sessions.

The Academy notes that eight decades after the founding of the United Nations, repeated violations of the Charter's prohibition on the use of force have contributed to a proliferation of international crimes and the highest number of conflicts recorded since the UN's foundation. The Forum will focus on the UN Charter and its interaction with international criminal law, assess how institutional and normative frameworks against the unlawful use or threat of force can be strengthened, and ask how the international criminal justice system can adapt in an era of fragmentation, multipolarity, democratic backsliding and hybrid warfare.

• 7 October (Opening Day, 3 pm to 6.40 pm): Opening Remarks; Opening Discussion on the UN Charter, the Nuremberg Principles and accountability as a shared vision; Special Panel on Strength through Art and Letters; Keynote Address by Claus Kreß (University of Cologne; Special Adviser on the Crime of Aggression to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor).
• 8 October (10 am to 5 pm): Panel I on the UN Charter, the use of force and accountability; Panel II on the crime of aggression, its origins and development; Panel III on the crime of aggression and the International Criminal Court; a Dialogue on the 80th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Judgment.
• 9 October (10.30 am to 2.10 pm): Panel IV on prevention, reparations and legitimacy; Closing Discussion on universality and international criminal justice; Closing Remarks.

All times are local time in Nuremberg (CEST). The programme is provisional, as of 23 September 2026.

The provisional programme lists speakers including Navi Pillay (former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights), Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi (former President, International Criminal Court), Serge Brammertz (Chief Prosecutor, IRMCT), Agnès Callamard (Secretary General, Amnesty International), Chaloka Beyani (UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide), Christian Wenaweser (Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the UN), Jennifer Trahan (New York University), Devika Hovell (LSE), Janina Dill (University of Oxford), Stephen Rapp (former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice) and Mihir Kanade (UN-mandated University for Peace), among others. The full line-up is on the Academy's speakers page.

The Nuremberg Forum is open to the public. The Academy says the conference is particularly relevant to experts, professionals and students interested in international criminal law, political and social science, contemporary history and international relations, and it especially invites young scholars, lawyers and practitioners to join the discussion. Law students and researchers in India can take part through the online platform.

• Mode: Hybrid. Speakers and a limited number of participants gather in Courtroom 600; an interactive online platform allows broad attendance, including engagement and questions.
• Fee: Free of charge for both in-person and online attendance.
• Language: English.
• Recording: The Forum will be video-recorded and made available on the Academy's YouTube channel. Participants may not record the event or save the recording locally.
• Travel and visas: The Academy cannot provide financial support for travel or accommodation in Nuremberg, nor individual visa invitation letters.

All attendees, whether in person or online, must register through the Academy's registration form, giving name, institution, position, country, email and a choice of online or on-site attendance. Courtroom 600 has limited seating, so those planning to attend in person are encouraged to register as early as possible; registration for online participation remains available at any time.

After registering you receive a confirmation email, and the Academy sends login details for the virtual platform closer to the conference date.

The Academy has not published a separate registration cut-off. The deadline shown here is the opening day, 7 October 2026, as online login details are sent ahead of the event; register earlier if you want a seat in the courtroom.