IBA President Jaime Carey addressed delegates at the Opening Ceremony, emphasising the duty of lawyers to protect the rule of law in the face of global conflicts and rising authoritarianism.

Welcome and bienvenue, your Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends. It is a great honour and profound privilege to welcome you all to the 2025 Annual Conference of the International Bar Association here in the vibrant city of Toronto.

I want to first express my sincere gratitude to the host committee, to the local bar associations of Ontario and Canada, to our sponsors and to every delegate who travelled across continents to be here. I would also like to express special gratitude to the IBA staff, to Executive Director Mark Ellis and to all IBA officers, committee officers and council members, because without their effort and collaboration, this conference would not be possible. Additionally, my sincere thanks to my partners and to Claudio Visco, our President-Elect, for their support and friendship during this term.

And last, but no means least, my heartfelt thanks to my wife, Lucia, who has accompanied and supported me during 42 years of this IBA career. If it had not been for her, I would not be here today.

I am personally very pleased that we have been able to convene an extraordinary number of over 5,000 attendees, an attendance that ranks amongst the top five most attended IBA annual conferences in IBA history.

Coming from Chile, and given our strong ties with Canada, I’ve always admired Canadians for their kindness and consideration, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the level of politeness here. During my first hours in Toronto, I think I heard the word ‘sorry’ more times than I do in an entire month back home. I began to suspect that Canadians might one day start apologising for apologising. But let me say clearly: there’s no need to apologise. You’re a wonderful country and a wonderful people. Perhaps that’s part of what makes this country so admirable; a deep sense of respect, humility, dialogue and values that also sustain the rule of law.

I would like to highlight the strong relationship that has long prevailed between Chile and Canada. We share a friendship built on democracy, open trade and mutual trust. In 1996, Chile signed its first free trade agreement, and it was with Canada. That agreement focused on cooperation on mining, clean energy and human rights. Our partnership reflects what this conference itself represents: openness, collaboration and the belief that law can unite rather than divide.

We also are deeply thankful for the vision and insight of the major Canadian pension funds and Canadian companies who have been our clients for these last decades and who have invested substantially in mining, utilities, toll roads, agribusiness, forestry, fisheries, finance and in many other areas in Chile. [In these] last decades, Canada has been Chile’s number one foreign partner and always among the top three. This consolidates a strong, enduring relationship between our countries, and it makes me truly happy that Toronto is hosting this conference during my presidency of the IBA.

Over the coming days, we will share ideas, challenge assumptions, build networks and renew our commitment to the rule of law and justice in an even more complex world. As lawyers – and I here include judges, academics, in-house counsel and public interest advocates – we carry responsibilities that go beyond our clients or individual cases. We are stewards of institutions, guardians of rights, and intermediaries between power and people. Everywhere, the rule of law is under strain from populist pressures, authoritarian backlashing and crises that test institutional resonance. The legal profession must stand firm. But it is not enough to defend the law as a formal ideal. We must ensure that justice is real and accessible, that courts, legal services and institutions reach the marginalised, the vulnerable and the powerless.

During my tenure, together with Claudio Visco, we have focused on several key priorities and projects. The first is artificial intelligence and related technologies, which are reshaping how we practise law, how evidence is gathered, how disputes are resolved and how rights are protected or threatened. The key question is: ‘how do we harness innovation without sacrificing accountability, fairness, transparency or dignity?’ We need robust frameworks, professional standards and cross-jurisdictional dialogue to ensure AI augments justice rather than erodes it.

The IBA, working through its committees and policy groups, [has] provided practical guidance, training and research on how technology can be implemented responsibly and ethically, ensuring innovation becomes a force for inclusion, not exclusion. We believe that the IBA, as the global voice of the legal profession, can and will play a central role in this area.

The other area is diversity and inclusion. A large community that does not reflect society’s diversity weakens its own legitimacy. We must resist complacency. The IBA has taken important steps, but we must go further: mentorship, removing structural barriers and promoting women and underrepresented groups in leadership. True inclusion is not tokenism. It is integration, power sharing and continuous reflection. The IBA continues to advance this cause through diversity and inclusion programmes and by fostering cooperation amongst bars and law societies across continents.

In a multi-polar world, legal norms are being contested. How do states reconcile sovereignty with international obligations? How do lawyers operate when political tensions cross borders? We must strengthen cooperative mechanisms, mutual legal assistance, treaty frameworks and dispute resolution institutions. The IBA’s regional forums and working groups are committed to training, advocacy and sharing best practices to uphold international norms, even in challenging environments.

Around the world, we see pressure on judicial independence, civil society and legal aid systems. The pandemic, inequality and conflicts have strained our social contracts. Lawyers and institutions must adapt through pro bono frameworks, legal tech and public interest strategies. The IBA and bar associations are working to support jurisdictions where the rule of law is fragile. Let me highlight two initiatives.

First, the IBA’s film series on the rule of law, which vividly shows how judicial independence, fair trials and anti-corruption efforts affect real lives. We are now partnering with the Danish Bar Association to revamp and bring these films into schools so that young people can learn about principles of the rule of law.

Second, the IBA eyeWitness to Atrocities project represents one of the most significant innovations in the documentation of international crimes in recent decades. The project provides a secure, tamper-proof mobile app that enables users to capture photos and videos through embedded verifiable metadata that ensures vital evidence of war crimes against humanity or genocide that can be preserved and later authenticated for use in national or international courts. We have partnered with LexisNexis to store nearly 100,000 pieces of pictorial evidence from numerous conflict countries.

Beyond technological innovation, eyeWitness to Atrocities reflects the IBA’s deep commitment to advancing justice and the rule of law amid impunity. The project not only strengthens accountability mechanisms but also sends a powerful moral signal that the international legal community will not allow atrocities to disappear into silence or denial. These initiatives are making a difference, especially in regions where justice systems face real challenges.

Finally, we have sought to strengthen the IBA’s relationship with Africa and Asia. We recognise we have a debt to these continents and a commitment to bringing the IBA closer to them. I have already travelled twice this year to Africa, and I will continue to look for ways to bridge the gap to make the IBA more accessible to lawyers in these regions.

The IBA is uniquely positioned to convene voices, incubate policy and catalyse action. We are not just observers, but actors. Our committees, task forces and regional fora can produce tools, training and advocacy to strengthen the global profession. I urge each of you: engage actively in committees, share insights from your jurisdictions, mentor young lawyers and bring home what you learn here today. The challenges we face do not respect borders, and neither should our cooperation.

In a moment of uncertainty, the lawyer’s highest calling is courage. The courage to speak truth to power, to defend rights, to protect institutions when weakened. Over these days, I invite each of you to reflect on your role as a reformer, mentor, bridge builder and innovator. Let Toronto 2025 be remembered not just for the sessions we held, but for the commitments we made, the friendships we forged and the resolve we renew.

May the rule of law always have its champions among us. May justice find new pathways. May our diversity strengthen, not divide. Let each of us put our grain of sand to make this a better world. Thank you and welcome to the 2025 IBA Annual Conference.

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This is an abridged version of IBA President Jaime Carey’s opening speech. The filmed speech can be viewed in full here.