The inaugural 1963 conference in Athens marked the beginning of the World Law Congress tradition. Supported by the American Bar Association and the Athens Bar Association, and attended by political leaders such as H. M. King Paul of Greece and Panagiotis Pipinelis, the event established the World Jurist Association as a vital forum for international dialogue.

Two years later, the 1965 conference in Washington, D.C., broadened the organization’s reach and visibility.

The conference’s opening was formally designated World Law Day, a global call to strengthen respect for legal institutions and celebrate humanity’s commitment to the principles that underpin peaceful societies.

This designation encapsulated the World Jurist Association’s ambition to influence global discourse and foster a cross-border culture of respect for the law.

These early gatherings set the tone for what the World Jurist Association would become. They were ambitious, internationally diverse, and grounded in the belief that legal collaboration could transcend political divides. They also demonstrated that the Association’s mission resonated deeply with jurists and political leaders who recognized that law must serve as a stabilizing force in global affairs.