Call for Proposals – Case Studies: Share Your Insights on #ArchivesForJustice!

As part of International Archives Week 2026 (8–12 June 2026), the International Council on Archives (ICA) invites its members to submit proposals for case studies aligned with this year’s theme: #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures.

This is your opportunity to showcase innovative practices, highlight challenges, and share lessons learned from archival initiatives that advance justice, human rights, and memory.

What are case studies?

Case studies are detailed presentations of real-world archival projects or initiatives, demonstrating practical applications, ethical considerations, and societal impact. Presentations should last ten (10) minutes, followed by five (5) minutes for audience discussion. They provide a platform to share experiences, inspire peers, and contribute to the global discourse on archives and justice.

Why participate?

• Gain international visibility for your archival work.
• Share experiences that influence practices in rights, memory, and justice.
• Engage with a global network of archivists, records management professionals, researchers, and more.
• Contribute to the collective understanding of archives as infrastructures for justice.

Selected case studies will be showcased during International Archives Week in front of thousands of viewers worldwide and will also be published afterward on the ICA YouTube channel, ensuring your work reaches a global audience beyond the live session.

Who can participate?

Speakers must be ICA members in good standing (Categories A, B, C, or D), either through an active individual membership or through employment with an ICA member institution or Category B association.

For joint submissions, all speakers must meet this requirement.

If you have any questions regarding your membership status, please log in to your ICA Profile or contact us at members@ica.org.

Not an ICA member yet? Start your journey today and discover how to join!

Subthemes

Proposals should align with one of the following #IAW2026 subthemes:

• Archives for Accountability: Rule of Law, Truth, and Transitional Justice
  • Case studies documenting archival evidence supporting legal or administrative accountability, truth commissions, or human rights processes.
• Archives for Memory: Recognition, Human Dignity, and Lived Experience
  • Projects preserving marginalized voices, oral histories, or personal testimonies that restore memory and human dignity.
• Archives for Inclusion: Access, Participation, and Community Empowerment
  • Initiatives that enable communities to access, co-curate, or participate in archival processes.
• Archives, Colonial Legacies, and Non-Sovereign Contexts: Displaced and Shared Heritage
  • Projects addressing archival legacies of colonialism, restitution, repatriation, or ethical stewardship in contested contexts.
• Archives for Future Justice: Anticipating Rights, Responsibility, and Possibility
  • Forward-looking initiatives leveraging digital infrastructures, AI tools, or hybrid custodial models to support emerging forms of justice.

Before you submit

Ensure your proposal (English, French, or Spanish) includes:

• Selected subtheme
• Title of your case study
• 300-word abstract describing your project, objectives, methods, and impact
• Speaker name(s) and affiliation(s)
• Profile photo in high resolution
• Preferred email address
• ICA membership number of the main speaker
• Link to project/initiative (if available)
• Related images, documents, or visuals
• Preferred presentation days:
  • Tuesday, 9 June
  • Wednesday, 10 June
  • Thursday, 11 June
• Preferred presentation times (CET, Paris time):
  • 10:00 to 12:00
  • 14:00 to 16:00
  • 16:00 to 18:00

Submissions will be reviewed by ICA experts based on originality, impact, and relevance to #ArchivesForJustice. Don’t miss this chance to share your work and contribute to the global conversation on archives, rights, and justice!

Questions?

For any inquiries, please email communications@ica.org.