The Qatar International Centre for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA) at the Qatar Chamber organised the first edition of this conference from January 20-22, 2008, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha, under the patronage of His Highness the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The conference, inaugurated by Qatar Chamber Chairman HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, addressed a range of relevant legal topics.

The three-day event saw extensive participation from senior officials of Arab, European, and American arbitration centres, as well as arbitrators, judges, jurists, and lawyers from Arab and European countries.

Distinguished arbitration experts led conference sessions, attracting large numbers of legal professionals, including judges, academics, lawyers, counsellors, and prosecutors. The conference provided a strong boost to QICCA, resulting in a significant increase in arbitration cases.

The closing session, chaired by QICCA Secretary General Dr Ahmed Shatta, featured Jack Warner, President of the International Arbitration Forum in Switzerland, who spoke on the foundations of international arbitration.