The HDCA was officially launched at the 2004 conference in Italy. Below is a list of all past HDCA conferences with their themes:

• 2023 - Global Dialogue Week
• 2023 - Sofia, Bulgaria
  Vulnerability, human development and cooperative re-building in turbulent times
• 2022 - Antwerp, Belgium
  Capabilities and Transformative Institutions
• 2021 - HDCA Global Dialogue (online only)
• 2020 - Auckland, NZ (online only)
  New Horizons: Sustainability & Justice
• 2019 - UK, London
  Connecting Capabilities
• 2018 - Argentina, Buenos Aires
  Human Development and Social Inclusion in an Urbanizing World
• 2017 - South Africa, Cape Town:
  Challenging Inequalities: Human Development and Social Change
• 2016 - Japan, Tokyo:
  Capability and Diversity in a Global Society
• 2015 - USA, Washington, D.C.:
  Capabilities on the Move: Mobility and Aspirations
• 2014 - Greece, Athens:
  Human Development in Times of Crisis; Renegotiating Social Justice
• 2013 - Nicaragua, Managua:
  Human Development: Vulnerability, Inclusion and Well-being
• 2012 - Indonesia, Jakarta:
  Revisiting Development: Do We Assess It Correctly?
• 2011 - the Netherlands, The Hague:
  Innovation, Development & Human Capabilities
• 2010 - Jordan, Amman:
  Human Rights & Human Development
• 2009 - Peru, Lima:
  Participation, Poverty and Power
• 2008 - India, New Dehli:
  Equality, Inclusion and Human Development
• 2007 - USA, New York:
  Ideas Changing History
• 2006 - the Netherlands, Groningen:
  Freedom and Justice
• 2005 - France, Paris:
  Knowledge and Public Action
• 2004 - Italy, Pavia:
  Enhancing Human Security
  (Conferences that preceded the founding of the HDCA):
  
• 2003 - Italy, Pavia
  From Sustainable Development to Sustainable Freedom
• 2002 - UK, Cambridge
  Promoting Women’s Capabilities: Examining Nussbaum’s Capabilities
• 2001 - UK, Cambridge
  Justice and Poverty: Examining Sen’s Capability Approach