Published on 17 November 2025

Programme

The 5^th edition of the IC Forum will take place over two days, 26 and 27 February 2026, at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG). Humanitarian aid will be the focus of the various sessions organised.

Programme of the IC Forum 2026 — © FDFA

Thursday, 26.02.2026

12:00–13:30 Arrival of guests, welcome coffee, exhibition

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13:30–13:40 Welcome

How do we redefine humanitarian aid in the changing global context?

• Patricia Danzi, SDC director general

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13:40–14:25 Opening plenary session: The world in upheaval

The influence of geopolitics is growing, multilateralism is under pressure, and international norms are losing their hold. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis outlines the global shifts and ERC/USG Tom Fletcher sets out what they mean for the humanitarian world.

• Opening address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
• Keynote speech: Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

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14:25–14:45 Perspectives from the field: what do these upheavals mean locally?

How do international developments affect people in crisis situations and what is their daily reality? How has the situation changed in different contexts over the past year? What does humanitarian aid look like on the ground? Actors involved and those affected provide insight into a changing reality.

• Dominik Stillhart, Switzerland's delegate for humanitarian aid

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14:45–15:15 Coffee break and exhibition

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15:15–16:30 Sessions

• Session 1: Tending the fragile garden: upholding IHL in uncertain times

  How can international humanitarian law (IHL) retain its relevance in the face of global violations and technological advances?

  Why is the preservation of IHL in the interests of the parties to a conflict and all states in general?

  What concrete measures and instruments are available to states to ensure and strengthen compliance with IHL in today's world?

• Session 2: Shaping International Geneva: visions and pathways ahead

  What historical forces and political decisions have turned Geneva into a global capital of multilateralism, international cooperation and humanitarian aid?

  To what extent are today's geopolitical shifts, technological upheavals and social changes redefining the role of International Geneva?

  What vision should guide Geneva's future as a place for global dialogue, innovation and collective action

• Session 3: Navigating aid, power and politics: the role of humanitarian diplomacy

  How can humanitarian diplomacy and mediation tools be used to overcome political deadlocks that affect the humanitarian space?

  How can humanitarian diplomacy help to create a climate of trust for humanitarian work and contribute to a peacebuilding environment?

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16:30–17:15 High-level panel: The future of humanitarian aid

In view of the profound upheavals in the humanitarian system and the changing conditions on the ground, the question presents itself: what will humanitarian aid look like in the future? What role do different actors play and how can aid create the greatest possible added value for the people affected? Leading specialists and humanitarian actors shed light on these crucial issues.

Senior representatives of international humanitarian organisations answer crucial questions.

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17:15–17:45 Presentation of the IC Award 2026 in the presence of Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis

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17:45–20:00 IC Forum aperitif with live presentation of humanitarian demining and innovative ideas

Friday, 27.02.2026

08:30–09:15 Arrival of guests, welcome coffee, exhibition

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09:15–10:45 Innovation lab

How do young people see the future of humanitarian aid? Students at the Geneva Graduate Institute are currently working in the Fabrique de la paix (the Fab) – the Graduate Institute's innovation lab – on key questions about future formats and innovations for the humanitarian aid of tomorrow. At the IC Forum, they will present their research results and solutions, and invite participants and humanitarian specialists to debate the further development and scaling of these approaches.

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10:45–11:15 Coffee break and exhibition

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11:15–12:30 Sessions

• Session 4: Engaging the private sector in humanitarian contexts

  Public aid and international donations are no longer enough to meet humanitarian needs worldwide. Innovative solutions can integrate resources, expertise and technologies from the private sector. This session explores concrete approaches through which the private sector can lend its support.

  What results can be achieved by involving the private sector in tackling humanitarian crises?

  How can we ensure that humanitarian principles are not jeopardised?

• Session 5: Academic innovation meets international cooperation

  Transformative research promotes innovation and is a driver for the international cooperation of the future. What conditions are required for Switzerland as a research hub to serve as an effective vehicle for international cooperation and to promote innovation that fosters peace, progress and prosperity?

  What academic evidence is needed to identify existing and new approaches that accelerate international cooperation, increase its effectiveness and ensure its long-term impact?

• Session 6: Tackling causes of crises, not symptoms

  In protracted crises, humanitarian aid is often seen as the only option available to the international community because it is considered less political. However, short-term and reactive approaches are not enough to overcome crises in the long term or prevent a (renewed) deterioration. That gives rise to the following key questions for this session:

  How can humanitarian aid help to tackle the (political) causes of conflict without being politicised or instrumentalised?

  How can cost-effective conflict prevention become more attractive and gain political acceptance compared to resource-intensive conflict management?

  How can international cooperation instruments be combined in a targeted manner to achieve a sustainable impact with reduced public funding?

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12:30–14:00 Networking lunch with live presentation of humanitarian demining and innovative ideas

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14:00–15:00 Reality check for Switzerland: humanitarian aid à la Suisse

How are Swiss actors working under the changed conditions in the humanitarian sector? How can Swiss expertise continue to be effective despite the current challenges? Representatives from academia, the private sector, NGOs and the SDC present solutions for effective humanitarian aid based on specific projects and invite the audience to join in the discussion.

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15:00–16:00 Humanitarian aid, ready for tomorrow?

The humanitarian landscape and the reality faced by people in crisis have changed fundamentally. The system is in a state of upheaval and many ideas are up for discussion. But which of these ideas are sustainable and feasible? Our high-profile panel will discuss the approaches that will shape international humanitarian aid in the future.

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16:00–16:30 Closing speech by Federal Councillor Martin Pfister, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS)