The theme of the 19th BIEN Congress is ‘Basic Income as Freedom and Development’.

Irrespective of the generic meaning that we attempt to give it, the groundswell that we witness today is producing its own local meanings. Each of these meanings seems to emerge from its own unique contextual starting point. The year 2019 is virtually being declared as the ‘Year of the Basic Income’ because the idea is reverberating across the world.

The deliberations will be conducted around specific thematic areas that are critical and topical in on-going basic income theory and policy debates in the world. The decision about the lead speakers will be discussed with the BIEN Executive Committee before finalizing. The last day afternoon will contain a closing session and the BIEN General Assembly. Affiliate sessions and a civic forum will also be added to the program.