Annual General Meeting 2025

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The Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) devoted its Annual General Meeting of 7 November 2025 to the theme: ‘State Immunity in Civil Proceedings Comparative Notes and Critical Analysis’.

The recording of the meeting, hosted by Leiden University, can be viewed here. Speakers were:

  • Cathalijne van der Plas and Thom Dieben
    will present their paper
    Immunity from jurisdiction in civil proceedings
    in which a foreign state is not named as a party
  • and Max van Leyenhorst
    will present his paper
    Immunity from execution. A quest for the rule of (customary International) law
    followed by reflections by
    Jure Vidmar

    The meeting was introduced and moderated by Prof. Aukje van Hoek, President KNVIR.

    François Prize 2026 Invitation

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    The Board of the

    ROYAL NETHERLANDS SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

    INVITES

    those who are students at a Dutch university, or have obtained a Master’s degree from a Dutch University after 31 December 2023, to submit their Master’s thesis on a subject of Public International Law or Private International Law to compete for the

    FRANÇOIS PRIZE 2026

    Please note that submissions written by more than one author will not be accepted. Neither will be theses that have been adapted, for example with a view to publication.

    The submissions will be judged by a jury chaired by Prof. Dr C.M.J. Ryngaert, Professor of Public International Law at Utrecht University. The other two members of the jury are Dr O. Spijkers, Assistant Professor of International and European Law at Leiden University College, and Dr Vesna Lazic, Associate Professor at Utrecht University and Senior Researcher at the Asser Institute.

    Submissions should be anonymized and sent to the Secretariat of the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law, either by email (gro.r1766896871ivnk@1766896871tcatn1766896871oc1766896871) or on paper in triplicate to KNVIR c/o Ms. I.W.C. Hogervorst P.O. Box 778 2300 AT LEIDEN. Each submission must be accompanied by a completed and signed entry form which can be found here.

    Only submission sent before Januari 1st 2026 will be taken into consideration.

    The François Prize, named after Prof. Mr J.P.A. François (1889-1978), was created in 1975 by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law with a view to encouraging the study of Public International Law and Private International Law.
    The prize consists of an award of € 2,000 and a certificate.

    Spring Meeting 2025

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    INTERNATIONAL LAW AND NATIONALISM:
    HISTORIES OF A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP

    On 3 June 2025 the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) held its Spring Meeting on: ‘International Law and Nationalism: Histories of a Complicated Relationship’. The main speaker was Prof. Ingo Venzke, Professor of International Law and Social Justice, University of Amsterdam. Dr. Misha Plagis, Assistant Professor, Leiden University, and Luca Pasquet, Assistant Professor, Utrecht University, commented on the topic from a contemporary perspective. Prof. Aukje Van Hoek (President KNVIR) moderated the meeting. The meeting was hosted by Leiden University. The recording of the presentations and the Q&A can be viewed in the video below.