The 21st Annual International Development Conference

The International Development Conference (IDC) is the longest graduate student-run conference at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. We are very excited to be celebrating our 21st anniversary this year.

For the past 20 years, the IDC has provided a world-class interdisciplinary forum on new trends, ideas and practices in international development. The conference creates a thriving platform for students, practitioners, and academics to engage with one another and share innovative ideas year-round. Together we explore emerging approaches and solutions to the most pressing challenges facing developing countries today, including extreme hunger and poverty, the role of governance, local capacity building, vulnerable status of women and girls, and poor quality healthcare and education.

The International Development Conference at Harvard University has steadily grown into one of the year’s landmark events. Each year we attract over 500 participants, inspiring new connections and encouraging rich cross-pollination among key stakeholders in international development. In recent years, we have had the privilege of hosting Ban Ki-Moon, Felipe Calderón, Martin Wolf, and Abhijit Banerjee.

This year’s conference, titled “Development in Transition” will examine the global forces disrupting traditional models empowering the poor and how new innovations are redefining and redesigning successful development.

We continue to be inspired by President John F. Kennedy, who passionately articulated in the inaugural speech from which the School derives its motto:

“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”