Prof. Frederick John Packer in conversation with Prof. David Cotterrell

Supporting Organisation(s):
Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI)
Chair/Other Speakers:
Professor Frederick John Packer

The 2019 World Conference on Statelessness was an event held in The Hague from 26–28 June, bringing together nearly 300 activists, academics, and policymakers to address the theme of "Citizenship for Inclusive Societies".

A central highlight was the CANCELLED Dialogues, a collaborative project that used art and debate to explore the "politics of risk" and the systemic exclusion of stateless persons. These sessions, including the conversation between Prof. John Packer and Prof. David Cotterrell, were designed to spark an interdisciplinary global movement focused on securing the right to nationality for all.

The 2019 World Conference on Statelessness, held at the Hague Humanity Hub, was a transdisciplinary forum that bridged academic research and lived experience. It prioritised a ”whole of society” approach, exploring the human cost of ”paperlessness” in a digital age. Cotterrell developed ”interventions” and holographic installations to visualise the invisibility of stateless populations. Co-moderated with Ruwanthie de Chickera, he challenged participants to consider statelessness not merely a policy failure but a crisis of empathy.