Singapore to Host Singapore Convention Week 2023

SINGAPORE –
Media OutReach – 23 August 2023 – The Singapore Convention Week (SC Week) 2023 will return on 28 August to 1 September this year. This follows a successful SC Week 2022, which saw over 4,000 participants from more than 100 countries. The event will bring together thought leaders, experts, practitioners and policy makers from the legal, business, and government sectors to share the latest developments, discuss emerging trends, and exchange insights in cross-border dispute resolution amidst an ever-changing global landscape.

Organised by the Singapore Ministry of Law (MinLaw), in collaboration with supporting partner organisations, SC Week 2023 features an extensive line-up of events on dispute resolution, including panel discussions, workshops, debates, lectures, networking events, and visits. It consists of:

a.
The UNCITRAL Academy: The UNCITRAL Academy, which comprises a Conference and Capacity-Building Workshops, is the headline event of the SC Week. It will be jointly organised by MinLaw and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on 29 to 31 August 2023 (see
Annex A for the programme on 29 August 2023).

Centred around the theme ‘Tomorrow’s World Today: Leading the Future of Dispute Resolution’, the UNCITRAL Academy provides a platform for international and local experts to discuss current and emerging global issues. These include the ever-evolving digital economy, inter-cultural needs in mediation and arbitration, in the rise of mediation in investor-State dispute settlement, dispute resolution for carbon markets, the effects of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and more.

Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law Mr Edwin Tong SC will open the UNCITRAL Academy Conference and Industry Capacity-Building Workshop with a welcome address. This will be followed by opening remarks by Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL. About 30 global experts in various fields will share their insights and analysis in the subsequent panel discussions, fireside chat and workshop.

The three UNCITRAL Academy Capacity-Building Workshops will comprise presentations by and panel discussions with international dispute resolution experts, practitioners, and Government officials. Of these, two Workshops are closed-door sessions catered for Government officials only, while the Industry Capacity-Building Workshop is open to all attendees. With a demonstration and real-life case studies, the Industry Capacity-Building Workshop will provide a deep-dive into mediation advocacy, with practical tips on maximising mediation to resolve disputes.

b.
Partner events by supporting organisations: A series of legal and dispute resolution-related events will also be jointly organised by partner organisations (see
Annex B), including:

·
SIAC Symposium by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. SIAC’s flagship conference will bring together various stakeholders of the international arbitration community, to provide a platform for dialogue, the co-creation and cross-pollination of ideas and networking opportunities.

·
SIMC Signature Event: MNCs for Mediation by the Singapore International Mediation Centre. Leading multinational corporations will gather during this by-invitation luncheon to sign a declaration of intent to support the use of mediation, followed by a panel discussion with corporate executives who will shed light on their companies’ mediation journeys and how they overcame challenges along the way to forge a new approach for their companies.

·
Complexification and Contextuality by the Singapore International Commercial Court. This panel on resolving multi-party/multi-contract disputes with SICC’s Technology, Infrastructure and Construction List (TIC List) will discuss the challenges of managing complex disputes, and how the TIC List is structured to address complexification and provide contextuality to achieve outcomes that may be fair, effective, and preserve business relations.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong SC, said: “We are honoured that the SC Week has received overwhelming support from partner organisations and individuals from around the world. The number of events and registrations has increased year after year. We hope that the SC Week will serve as a useful platform for users, practitioners and policymakers to come together, to discuss how the dispute resolution system can be improved to resolve cross-border disputes more efficiently and effectively. This will provide greater confidence to businesses and investors, and facilitate global trade and commerce.”

Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, said: “We are proud to once again co-organise with MinLaw the UNCITRAL Academy during the SC Week. In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, we must continue to keep abreast with the latest as well as emerging issues in dispute resolution. We must continue to harmonise and fine tune our dispute resolution frameworks so that they remain efficient, relevant and fit-for-purpose. We are confident that the UNCITRAL Academy and other activities held throughout SC Week will help us to achieve this – by exchanging our experiences and ideas, by fostering deeper understanding, and by anticipating and equipping ourselves to respond to tomorrow’s challenges today.”

Annex A: Programme of UNCITRAL Academy