Congresses

IBBY's biennial international congresses bring together IBBY members and other people involved in children's books and reading development from all over the world. The congresses are excellent occasions to make contacts, exchange ideas and open horizons.

Every two years a different National Section hosts the Congress. Several hundred people attend the lectures, panel discussions, seminar sessions and workshops on current congress themes. An IBBY International Congress also serves as a frame not only for the General Assembly and other meetings, but also for the presentation of different exhibitions and celebrations such as the Hans Christian Andersen Awards and the IBBY Honour List.

IBBY Congresses are selected from submissions made by IBBY national sections five years before the congress date. IBBY will not accept submissions from non-member organisations.

 

Next IBBY Congress

40th IBBY World Congress
Ottawa, Canada from 6 to 9 August 2026
Theme: Listening to Each Other's Voices
Information and registrations on the congress official website: www.ibbycongress2026.org

Future IBBY Congresses

41st IBBY World Congress
Barcelona, Spain from 29 September to 1 October 2028

Previous IBBY Congresses

39th IBBY World Congress

Trieste, Italy from 30 August to 1 September 2024
Theme: Join the Revolution! Giving Every Child Good Books
Pictures and reports available on the congress official website: www.ibbycongress2024.org

 

38th IBBY World Congress

The 38th IBBY World Congress was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia on 5-8 September 2022.

Photos from the 2022 Congress can be found at IBBY 2022 Congress Highlights.

 

 

For information regarding previous IBBY Congresses, including speeches and presentations, go to IBBY Archive - Congresses.