Adoption Across a Lifetime: Why Reform Must Move Beyond the Child-Centric Lens

Lynelle's opening keynote on intercountry adoption, exploring identity, lifelong impacts, and the urgent need to reform systems beyond a child-centric lens.

Agent Orange, Adoption, and the Long Reach of War

Vietnam adoptee Vinh shares his search for family, the impact of Agent Orange, reunion with his mother, and a call to heal trauma and end violence.

Crying out your name

A poignant song by Haitian adoptee, Sabine, in Quebec exploring separation, identity, two families, and enduring love between mother and child across distance.

From Silence to Self: An Adoptee’s Song

Cao shares a song written across decades, exploring search, grief, identity, and healing after loss, silence, and self-acceptance.

Australia’s History and Silence on Illicit and Illegal Intercountry Adoptions: A Record of Inaction

Australia’s silence on illicit and illegal intercountry adoptions and ICAV’s 20-year fight for truth, justice, and recognition of adoptee rights continues

Self Reflections

Hannah reflects as a Russian Asian intercountry adoptee on identity, belonging, loss, and the emotional complexities of adoption.

Finding Myself and a Purpose

Mike grew up in New Zealand, adopted from Hong Kong. He struggled as a young child, found his place in the world, and now gives back, to others like him.

What rights should intercountry adoptees have?

Lynelle writes about the rights that are to be enshrined in law and practice to create a system that upholds justice, transparency and dignity for every adoptee

What I’ve missed out on in being adopted internationally

Jonti shares his journey of exploring what his losses have been in being intercountry transracially adopted from Sri Lanka to Australia.

Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Initial Outcome

Lynelle discusses the importance of the Korean TRC initial findings to the intercountry adoptee community.

The most invisible adoptees

Lynelle raises awareness of those intercountry adoptees who are incarcerated, an unheard voice.

Black Lotus

Jonas Haid shares his artwork Black Lotus created and inspired by his own story of adoption from Sth Korea to Germany.

Thoughts from Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

Lynelle shares her thoughts after watching Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, on Netflix.

Adopted from Moldova

Jacky shares about growing up with fragmented memories of their birth country Moldova and adjustments to fit in with life and family in the USA.

What do I want from my adoptive parents?

Lynelle shares what she would have wanted from her adoptive parents in response to the fraud and human rights abuses in her adoption.

How I feel about the end of Chinese intercountry adoption

Meredith shares the range of emotions she is experiencing since the announcement by China, her birth country, that all intercountry adoptions will stop.

A formal apology for an illegal intercountry adoption

A historic day in Guatemala with an apology to a family who were torn apart by illegal intercountry adoption. English translation provided.

Cut Chilli Play: Adoption Community Events and Feedback

Lynelle shares about the recent Cut Chilli events which ICAV hosted for the adoption community.