Reimagining Multilateralism for the Future and Annual Wenger Endowed Lecture in International Trade Law
About the Conference
This one-day conference, organized by the Trade, Investment & Development Program at the American University Washington College of Law, with the generous support of the Henry E. & Consuelo S. Wenger Foundation, aims to explore a new vision for multilateralism. The goal of this gathering is to start reimagining multilateralism during this time of growing and serious fragmentation.
The world order established at the end of World War II deliberately sought to avoid mistakes of the past, including the punitive terms of the Versailles Treaty that ended World War I. Led by the United States and Great Britain, the Bretton Woods Institutions were established as necessary for the maintenance of world peace. Since then, U.S. leadership has been instrumental in not only establishing but also maintaining the post-World War II global order. Today, there is another shift resulting in global fragmentation at a time when existential problems facing humanity require collective and universal action. The rules and institutions established in the aftermath of World War II may need to be adapted to address a different reality. Yet, multilateralism appears to be the only way to secure peace and international order.
Please view the full agenda for detailed session descriptions and speaker updates.