This week, legal practitioners, business leaders and policymakers from around the world will convene in Singapore for Singapore Convention Week (SC Week) 2026 – a key event in the global dispute resolution calendar.
Organised by the Singapore Ministry of Law, this year’s edition will take place from 24 to 28 August at various venues across Singapore, featuring more than 70 partner events and bringing together participants from over 100 countries.
This year’s theme, “Timeless Principles, Timely Solutions: Nurturing Trust in a Changing World”, reflects the need for dispute resolution to adapt to technological and geopolitical change while remaining anchored in longstanding principles including fairness, impartiality and the rule of law.
Evolving landscape
Charlene Chang, Deputy Secretary (Development) at Singapore’s Ministry of Law, said the theme was particularly relevant given the pace at which the international dispute resolution landscape is evolving.
“Artificial intelligence, digitalisation, geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping global commerce and the type of disputes that arise,” she said. “Yet, the values that underpin effective dispute resolution – fairness, impartiality, due process, integrity and the rule of law – are timeless and remain unchanged. As we embrace new technologies and respond to new challenges, we must ensure that these enduring principles adapt to the shifts and continue to guide the way we resolve disputes.”
The theme has particular resonance for Singapore this year, with SC Week taking place alongside SGLaw200, commemorating 200 years since the foundation of Singapore’s modern judicial and legal system was laid through the Second Charter of Justice in 1826.
“Over the past 200 years, Singapore’s legal institutions have continually evolved to meet the needs of each generation while remaining firmly anchored in the values that inspire confidence, both at home and abroad,” Chang said. “That journey reflects the very essence of this year’s theme: upholding timeless principles while delivering timely solutions for new challenges.”
UNCITRAL
SC Week 2026 also coincides with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), highlighting the role of international cooperation in supporting global trade.
The Singapore Convention on Mediation (SCM) is one example of that approach. Finalised by UNCITRAL in 2018 and adopted by the UN General Assembly that year, the Convention opened for signature in Singapore on 7 August 2019, when 46 states signed on its first day – one of the highest first-day signatory counts for a UN trade convention.
The Convention provides a harmonised framework for the cross-border enforcement of settlement agreements resulting from mediation, giving businesses greater certainty that mediated outcomes can be enforced across jurisdictions. It now has 23 parties, with further countries expected to join soon, according to the Ministry of Law.
The UNCITRAL Academy Conference will return during SC Week after moving to a biennial schedule, with a full-day programme on 25 August at Shangri-La Singapore exploring the Convention as well as wider developments in international dispute resolution. A government capacity-building workshop on mediation and the Convention will follow on 27 August.
UNCITRAL Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret said: “As UNCITRAL marks its 60th anniversary, the UNCITRAL Academy at Singapore Convention Week provides a fitting opportunity to come together, exchange knowledge and deepen understanding of the Singapore Convention on Mediation. Through dialogue and shared learning, the Academy supports the effective implementation of the Convention and advances UNCITRAL's longstanding mission of promoting harmonized legal frameworks that facilitate international trade and strengthen the rule of law.”
For Ramesh Selvaraj, a partner at Allen & Gledhill, mediation is an essential component of cross-border dispute resolution.
“I am particularly interested in discussions about how dispute resolution is becoming increasingly integrated,” he said. “The future is unlikely to be litigation versus arbitration versus mediation. Sophisticated cross-border disputes will often involve elements of all three, supported by technology and guided by the client's commercial priorities.”
He added: “I also look forward to conversations around AI, cross-border enforcement and the continued development of Singapore as a leading international dispute resolution hub.”
Other highlights
Other highlights during the week include the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Symposium on 24 August at Shangri-La Singapore. SIAC’s flagship conference will bring together stakeholders from across the international arbitration community for a day of discussion, networking and the exchange of ideas.
The annual Maxwell Lecture will take place on 26 August at Maxwell Chambers, with Martina Polasek, secretary-general of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), serving as this year’s guest lecturer. Distinguished figures from the international arbitration community will share their insights and experiences at the event.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Law’s ever-popular Breaking with Convention networking event returns on 25 August at the historic Gillman Barracks, which will provide the backdrop for networking over drinks and canapés.
Chang concluded: “We hope the conversations during the week will shape practical solutions to the challenges ahead, while reinforcing the values that have made international dispute resolution effective for generations.”
Click here to find out more about SC Week.
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