The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and Community Jameel held a two-day colloquium at the Collège de France in Paris on 22-23 June, marking 20 years of J-PAL's work in the fight against poverty. The colloquium, entitled 'Science and the fight against poverty: what progress has been made in 20 years and what are the prospects for the future?' brought together J-PAL co-founders and co-directors Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, alongside researchers, policymakers, social innovators, funders and the general public to explore the role of evidence in shaping development and social policy to alleviate poverty across different contexts. The event aimed to pave the way for informed policymaking that leverages rigorous research and continue to build on J-PAL’s work in ensuring that policies developed and implemented at a global scale can maximise their impact.