Battling Hostage Diplomacy: A Data Driven and Globally Coordinated Approach

3:45 PM Registration

4:00 PM Opening Statement: Countering the ever-growing hostage diplomacy through data empowered by AI towards actionable intelligence to inform countermeasures.

Keynote Speech:

Panel 1: Hostage Diplomacy: The Impact of Media

Panel members will speak about the intricacies and challenges of covering hostage cases. They will also discuss the roots and causes behind a steady increase of illegal detention and hostage taking by state and non-state actors in the last decade. Panelists will also share their perspectives on how the media may improve reporting on hostage cases and the issue of hostage diplomacy and possibly impact its outcome.

Q & A

Panel 2: Hostages & Families: Global similarities & shared experiences

Panelists including former hostages and families of hostages discuss the similarities in their ordeals, and challenges as well as their experiences with their respective govts. They also highlight the importance of sharing information, and the benefits of engaging with the community of former hostages and families.

Q & A

Panel 3: Global Cooperation

Panelists discuss the need for a global and coordinated approach to the issue of hostage taking and provide an update on ongoing efforts and initiatives that intend to create shared governance and effective exchange of information and tools that can help with freeing hostages, and prevent future cases.

Q & A

Keynote Speech:

Closing Statement Conference recommendations

7:00- 8:00 PM:  Cocktail reception