Programme
Thursday 20 November 2025
17.00 – 18.00
UIA Associate Members Meeting - for UIA Associate Members only!
Venue: Maison des Associations Internationales (M.A.I.) / International Associations Center, Rue Washington 40, Brussels
Friday 21 November 2025
8.30
- Registration opens
9.30 – 11.00
Round Table session 1
- Opening keynote by Cyril Ritchie, President of UIA, First Vice-President of CoNGO: "In today's new world (dis)order, do Associations depend too much on governments."
- Round Table æ chaired by Dr Daniel Laqua (Associate Professor of European History, Northumbria University, UK)
- Introductory presentations of the workshop programme (all speakers):
- Philippe Noirhomme, European VAT Desk: "VAT and related issues concerning international associations"
- Ryan Brubaker, Web and Database Developer, UIA: "Achieving goals, finding partners: UIA’s Global Civil Society Database"
- Marijke Roelants, Managing Partner BoldLAW: "New Liability Rules: How to Protect Yourself When Acting on Behalf of Your Association"
- Cyril Ritchie, President of UIA, First Vice President of CoNGO: "Why does the United Nations need Associations? Why do Associations need the United Nations?"
- Dr Sophie Scott-Brown, Honorary Research Fellow, University of St Andrews / Research Associate, Northumbria University: "From Problem to Progress: Conflict as Creativity for International Organisations"
- Prof. Jessica Reinisch, Professor of History, Birkbeck, University of London, Dr Ria Kapoor, Lecturer in History, Queen Mary, University of London, and Dr Margot Tudor, Lecturer in Foreign Affairs and Security, City – St George’s, University of London: "Learning from the Past? Making Sense of Internationalism and its Histories"
- Joost Visser, CEO, TIAO/CONNECTS and Jan Lichota, Coordinator – The Association Place, visit brussels: "Navigating the changing funding landscape for associations – exploring alternative solutions"
- Additional Workshops to be added soon!
11.00 – 11.30
- Coffee break
11.30 – 12.30
Round Table session 2
- Four parallel workshops in break-out rooms
12.30 – 13.45
- Lunch
13.45 – 15.45
Round Table session 3
- 13.45 – 14.45 Four parallel workshops in break-out rooms
- 14.45 – 15.45 Four parallel workshops in break-out rooms
15.45 – 16.15
- Coffee break
16.15 – 17.15
Round Table session 4
- Four parallel workshops in break-out rooms
17.30 – 18.30
- Cocktail reception