ANPAD Signs Copenhagen Declaration in Defense of Peace and Academic Freedom

On July 28, 2025, Copenhagen Business School in Denmark hosted a historic moment for the international academic management community. Nine academic management associations, collectively representing more than 10,000 researchers and professors worldwide, signed the Copenhagen Declaration – an unprecedented stance in defense of peace, academic freedom, and support for colleagues in conflict zones. The Brazilian Academy of Management (ANPAD) was among the signatories. 

The ceremony was presided over by Fernando Alonso Navaridas, Minister-Counselor of the Spanish Embassy, who delivered a powerful speech on the role of academia in building more just and peaceful societies. Heloise Berkowitz then officially read the text of the declaration, which conveys solidarity with all academics affected by war, forced displacement, or the inability to perform their teaching and research duties. The document condemns all armed conflicts, calls for immediate peace, and reaffirms the signatory associations’ commitment to academic freedom and to the fair and respectful treatment of all people. 

“We, the signatory leaders of the academic management associations listed below—including some affiliated with the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM) – express our solidarity with all colleagues in war zones who have been affected, displaced, and/or prevented from carrying out their educational and research duties.  

We condemn wars and call for immediate peace in these territories. We defend academic freedom and our commitment to fair and respectful treatment for all. We also pledge, whenever possible, within our powers and capacities as scientific societies, to offer assistance to colleagues at risk or affected.” 

After the reading, the declaration was signed by representatives of the nine associations, either present in person or connected online: 

• Raquel Orcos Sánchez (Scientific Association of Economics and Business Management — ACEDE) 

• Mohammed Saber Hassainate and Mohamed Bachisse (Moroccan Management Association) 

• Rafael Gatto (Brazilian Academy of Management — ANPAD) 

• Asia Organization Development Network (AODN) 

• Amir Bahman Radnejad (Administrative Sciences Association of Canada — ASAC) 

• Christine Moser (European Group for Organizational Studies — EGOS) 

• Steven Kilroy (Irish Academy of Management) 

• Nobuyuki Demise (Japan Association of Business Administration — JABA) 

• Dhruba Kumar Gautam (Nepalese Academy of Management — NAM) 

Also present were Wafa Khlif, one of the organizers of the declaration, and YingYing Zhang Zhang, Secretary General of the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM), who closed the event on behalf of the Federation’s president and president-elect, Rachel Ashworth, who participated online. 

The Copenhagen Declaration is the first joint statement in history among academic management associations from different countries. Other organizations may also endorse the document – 35 associations worldwide have already been invited to do so. The declaration reaffirms the role of scientific societies in defending peace and freedom of thought, while also offering concrete support to academics at risk. 

ANPAD’s participation in this international milestone reinforces its commitment to the fundamental values of academia and to global cooperation in building a free and safe academic environment capable of contributing to social transformation.