About the Conference The Knowledge Platform Annual Conference #KPAC21 is the Platform's signature event that brings together our vibrant community for thought-provoking discussions. This year will be our 9th Annual Conference, and as in previous years, we invite representatives from national and international governments and policy organs, think-thanks, journalists, INGO practitioners, activists, diplomats, and field researchers from around the globe to join us. These diverse actors assemble each year with a singular aim: to present their latest projects and freshest ideas, and engage their peers to learn and improve security and justice policy and programs. This year's theme is Asymmetric Power. The KPSRL community has become increasingly vocal about seizing this moment of upheaval to redress asymmetric power structures. While the sector has long been preoccupied with inequality and injustice in societies, pressure has been mounting to address unequal power distribution within the peace and development sector itself. Rallying cries have risen around ‘decolonizing aid’, radical flexibility in financing and accountability, and donor commitments to affirm transformative resilience and strengthen the localization of support. These encouraging aspirations, however, must attend to legacies of exclusion, inequality and asymmetry; not only within societies, but also within SRoL and development partnerships.   Click here to download the full concept note. News We have announced that the big day will take place on October 14th. We opened the Call for Session Proposals on May 27th and the deadline is on July 2nd at 23:59pm (CEST)! Please subscribe to our newsletter here (or scroll to the bottom of this page) to keep informed about updates regarding the KPAC21 and important reminders along the way. In light of COVID-19 and the implications that the pandemic has had on global health as well as (inter)national travel restrictions, the KPSRL Secretariat will once again explore all options with regard to how and where we will host KPAC21. After a successful online Conference last year, we are considering everything from an in-person conference in The Hague with online components of the program to an entirely online conference again. The Secretariat will make an informed decision based off of Dutch government regulations, travel concerns, safety guidelines and accessibility for our vast, global network in the coming months. Please keep checking our newsletters and website for updates! Click here to submit a Session Proposal for KPAC21.   Key Dates  Call for Session Proposals (click here)             May 27 - July 2         Attendee Registration Opens            June 16  Session Selection Announced             July 26  Final Session Outlines Due            October 1  Annual Conference            October 14   Keynote Speaker This year, we are honored to welcome Séverine Autesserre to the KPSRL Annual Conference 2021 as our Keynote Speaker. Dr. Autesserre is an award-winning author, peacebuilder, and researcher, as well as a Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. She is the author of The Frontlines of Peace, Peaceland, and The Trouble with the Congo, in addition to articles for publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy.  Please click here to read her full bio.