On 19 and 20 June 2025, The Hague will host a conference of critical importance to freedom, democracy, and human dignity. Organised by The Hague-based Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH), also known as Iran Academia, the Peace, Democracy, and Media Conference will bring together global minds at Leiden University’s campus in The Hague.
This conference is more than an academic event. It is a platform for inclusive dialogue, critical thinking for Iranians and the thinking of non-Iranians about Iran and the direct listening to people that face the problems.
Empowering voices in a shifting world
Founded in 2012, ISSH was born from a powerful premise: education should be free, critical, and accessible to all—especially to those silenced or excluded. In a world where academic freedom is often suppressed, particularly in Iran, ISSH offers a vital alternative. Through an interdisciplinary, master’s-level diploma programme and open courses, the institute has reached more than 11,000 learners, including students from within Iran and refugee communities across the globe.
Its educational approach is radically inclusive—allowing students to engage in their native languages, and encouraging not only the consumption of knowledge but its active creation. Rooted in The Netherlands and enriched by a faculty from institutions such as Harvard, Sciences Po and Leiden University.
Voices that matter, conversations that travel
The speaker line-up includes some of today’s most courageous voices.
- A 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate will deliver a video message from abroad.
- Legal experts affiliated with international courts in The Hague, senior journalists, and researchers will contribute to the session.
- Dedicated panels will focus on International Relations and Political Economy, with scholars from the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
In a carefully curated format—bilingual, single-track, live-streamed, and archived for global access—the conference is designed for impact and accessibility. This is not a closed-door seminar, but a bold statement: critical thinking must be public, inclusive, and far-reaching.
Melting pot for dialogue, amplifying voices that need to be heard
For ISSH, education is a form of resistance, and dialogue a political act. The ISSH-team believes that critical thinking must be taught not just as theory, but as a method of life. This philosophy will come to life in The Hague, where academics and activists, thinkers and practitioners, will meet not in isolation, but in dialogue—across borders, disciplines, and generations.
- The Global Crisis of Democracy and the Rising Discourse of War, addressing issues such as Iran’s nuclear policy, war and peace dynamics, and citizen movements.
- Media as Battlefield, which investigates media credibility, the Iranian press landscape, and the challenges of journalism under authoritarianism.
Why It Matters—For The Hague and the World
By hosting this landmark gathering, The Hague once again affirms its commitment to justice—not just in courts of law, but in the arena of ideas. The Peace, Democracy, and Media Conference reflects what The Hague stands for: a sanctuary for truth, a platform for unheard voices, and a crucible for global cooperation.
At its core, the event is an invitation—to listen deeply, engage meaningfully, and co-create solutions in a world that needs both clarity and courage.
Join the conversation
Whether you are a policy advisor, academic, journalist, or engaged citizen, this is your opportunity to be part of a dialogue that transcends geography and ideology. Participation is free, but space is limited. Register now to be part of one of 2025’s most important forums for peace, knowledge, and change.
Let’s meet at the crossroads of education, justice, and truth—right here in The Hague.
The Hague: Just Peace Festival
Set against the backdrop of the Just Peace Festival, the upcoming conference arrives at a crucial moment. Under the theme “Rethinking the Emerging Global Order and its Impact on Iran”, it will explore the erosion of democracy, the re-emergence of war as a political tool, and the manipulation of media in authoritarian contexts.
Supported by the Municipality of The Hague, Leiden University’s Dialogue programme, and The Hague Humanity Hub, this two-day event will gather over 200 participants—policy experts, journalists, scholars, and civil society leaders—for unfiltered discussion and global exchange.
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