The 2026 Annual Forum looked at the importance of open science policies and practises for countries facing challenging circumstances, with a particular emphasis on human-made crises. The programme included presentations, case studies, and a workshop session discussing what resilience and autonomy mean in the open science movement during human-made crises, the challenges of maintaining open policies and practices during times of crisis, and the challenges associated with recovery and reconstruction.

The 2026 Annual Forum was held Online, with continued support from the Knowledge E Foundation.

The conference theme, Resilience in Research: The Role of Open Science in the Arab World, addressed the value of open science activities and outputs during periods of upheaval and aftermath, the benefits provided by transparency, visibility, credibility, and accessibility.