The World Jurist Association’s Opening Session to the World Law Congress in Tirana Opens the Road to 2027: A Global Call to Strengthen the Rule of Law
The Albanian capital took center stage in the international rule-of-law debate, hosting the Opening Session of the World Law Congress 2027. Organized by World Jurist Association (WJA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Albania, the event gathered close to 500 jurists — magistrates, academic leaders, and institutional representatives — from Albania and around the world at the National Opera House in Tirana, woven into Albania’s national Justice Week.
This inaugural session officially marks the beginning of the countdown to the World Law Congress 2027, scheduled for May 3–5 in Tirana — an event its organizers describe as the Davos of Law, expected to draw approximately 5,000 participants including heads of state and serving judges from around the world.
Albanian and international institutional commitment
Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama argued that Albania’s selection as host owed nothing to geography or hospitality, and everything to what the country has attempted over the past decade: building a state governed by law rather than by force.
“We are building the conditions for Albania to be a country governed by the Rule of Law and not by force.” — Prime Minister Edi Rama
Minister of Justice Toni Gogu struck a complementary institutional tone, framing the challenge as one of sustained public trust:
“The great challenge of our time is not just to draft good laws, but to preserve society’s trust in justice and in its institutions.” — Minister of Justice Toni Gogu
Javier Cremades, President of the WJA, placed the Tirana moment inside a broader global diagnosis of democratic fragility:
“We live in a moment in which democracies are tired and autocracies become increasingly functional.” — Javier Cremades, President, World Jurist Association
Additionally, Mattias Guyomar, President of the European Court of Human Rights, shared a video message echoing the need for global legal solidarity:
“Today, once again, our world is moving away from the fundamental values and principles of international law.” — Mattias Guyomar, President, European Court of Human Rights
Initiatives for the Future of Justice
The program included a high-level roundtable titled “Ten Years After: Lessons and Perspectives”, moderated by Elisabeth Cassin, Member of the World Law Foundation. The panel brought together a distinguished group of global voices on justice and the rule of law:
Darian Pavli, Judge, European Court of Human Rights
Shimon Shetreet, President, International Association of Judicial Independence and World Peace (JIWP)
Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, President, European Law Institute
Looking ahead to 2027, three strategic initiatives were presented and approved:
Tirana Rule of Law Forum — a permanent international platform for legal dialogue anchored in Albania
Young Jurists Program — an initiative engaging the next generation of legal practitioners in the rule-of-law debate
Tirana Declaration for the Future of the Rule of Law — formally approved at the session, setting the normative framework for the 2027 Congress
Albania formally entered the closing phase of its EU accession negotiations on May 26, 2026 — the very week this session took place. Its stated goal is to conclude negotiations by 2027 and achieve full EU membership by 2030. The convergence of the World Law Congress and Albania’s EU accession timeline is not coincidental: it reflects international recognition that the work Albania has done is real, and that the work still ahead demands the sustained commitment of the whole of society.
The World Jurist Association’s Opening Session in Tirana was the first formal step in a program of preparatory events culminating in the 30th World Law Congress in May 2027 for which registration is now open at:
