The format created space for real dialogue. With around 100 participants in the room, the event was large enough for diverse perspectives but small enough for genuine interaction. From the outset, engagement was high, especially during the breakout sessions, where participants weren’t just listening but actively contributing, questioning, and comparing experiences.
The tone was set early on by UIA’s President, Cyril Ritchie. He challenged the idea that associations are neutral actors, pointing out that in practice, their work – whether in education, environmental protection or humanitarian action – is deeply political. His comments about the rising authoritarianism in many parts of the world resonated with associations dealing with growing tension between mission-driven work and shifting political landscapes.
The breakout sessions brought this urgency into practical focus. I joined Bori Csala’s workshop on subventions, which was perhaps the most pragmatic of the day. Titled “Subvention for Change”, it pushed us to think beyond simply asking for funding and towards building value-based partnerships with destinations. Drawing from Conferli’s white paper, Bori offered practical frameworks and compelling case studies. There was an honest discussion in the room about how subvention models still vary wildly, and participants openly shared both frustrations and success stories.
Later, the tone shifted with the session “Learning from the Past? Making Sense of Internationalism and its Histories”, led by historians Prof. Jessica Reinisch, Dr. Ria Kapoor, and Dr. Margot Tudor. This was, unexpectedly, one of the most thought-provoking parts of the day. The idea that internationalism is not a fixed or universally positive concept, but something contested and shaped by history, added another layer to how we think about collaboration today.
Another popular workshop, “From Problem to Progress”, explored conflict within international organisations, sometimes messy, but often productive. Dr. Gordon Barrett and Prof. Daniel Laqua shared historical examples like the China representation debate within ICSU. What stayed with me was their argument that conflict, far from being a dysfunction, can be a source of creative progress when organisations choose to engage with it transparently.
At the end of the Round Table, we felt a sense of responsibility. The challenges associations face – political, structural, even philosophical – are complex. But, through meetings like this, they realise they are not alone in tackling them.