The Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) was founded in 1910 as the Netherlands Society of International Law and as the Dutch Branch of the International Law Association (ILA). On the occasion of the celebration of its 100th anniversary the Society was granted the right to add ‘Royal’ to its name.”
The purpose of the Society is to practise and promote both public and private international law. To that end the KNVIR organises various activities, including an annual Spring Meeting where a current topic of international law is discussed with a panel of experts, and the Annual General Meeting, whose agenda features the discussion of several papers, again on a current topic of international law, written by experts on the invitation of the Society’s Board. Many KNVIR members participate in activities organised by the ILA and attend regional or worldwide ILA conferences, organised on a regular basis.
Membership of the KNVIR is open to everyone interested in international law generally. Many of the Society’s members are legal professionals, working e.g. as advocates, judges, law makers, civil servants, corporate lawyers or as teachers and/or researchers at a university or college.
The KNVIR aims to realise its purpose by bringing together practical and theoretical knowledge and experience from within The Netherlands and to support the activities of the International Law Association also on an international level. Members are able to meet each other at events organised by the Society, at seminars and expert meetings organised upon the initiative of members of the KNVIR, as well as through ILA committees and study groups and, in particular, during the worldwide ILA conference organised once every two years.
The Annual General Meeting of the KNVIR is held, in principle, on the first Friday of November.