World Economic Forum Joins ICCA Congress 2026 in Panama
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27th Oct, 2026
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ICCA has expanded the programme for the 2026 ICCA Congress in Panama City with new speakers and sessions, including a dedicated co-curator session with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The session adds a global strategic perspective to the Congress, bringing the Forum into discussions focused on strategy and leadership for associations and meeting planners.
Taking place from 8–11 November, the Congress will also feature contributions from other cross-sector co-curators, broadening the conversation beyond the business events industry and creating opportunities to explore new approaches to collaboration, competitiveness and the future of international association meetings.
The latest additions include Ramya Krishnaswamy, Senior Director, Urban Transformation, and Charlotte Boutboul, Senior Manager, Experience Economy, Travel & Tourism, both at the World Economic Forum. They join an international line-up featuring keynote speaker Erin Brockovich, the internationally recognised environmental activist and consumer advocate.
Together, the speakers and programme contributors reflect the Congress's ambition to connect perspectives from different disciplines, industries and communities.
Under the theme CrossWorlds: The Crossings We Bring, The Crossings We Choose, the 65th ICCA Congress will welcome more than 1,000 business events professionals from over 80 countries, alongside more than 100 international association executives, to Panama City for an experience designed to challenge the conventions of a traditional industry conference.
A One-of-a-Kind Congress Experience
The 2026 ICCA Congress introduces a distinctive multi-modal format, bringing together multiple specialised learning experiences within one event: effectively, Congresses within a Congress. Designed to move beyond the traditional conference model, the programme combines interactive sessions, dedicated workshops, peer exchange and structured networking, giving delegates more ways to engage with ideas and build meaningful professional relationships.
With 60% of the Congress experience dedicated to networking and connection, the format puts interaction at the centre. The ambition is to create more than a platform for discussion: it is to connect people and expertise in ways that can lead to new partnerships, fresh thinking and practical outcomes for the international association meetings industry.
Six cross-sector co-curators are helping shape this experience: the World Economic Forum, UN Tourism, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, IEEE, AC Forum, and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). Their contributions bring perspectives spanning strategic leadership, tourism, development, technology, association management and social sustainability into the Congress programme.
“This collaboration represents a landmark moment for ICCA and the global meetings industry. As the first event of its kind, it demonstrates ICCA's unique ability to connect diverse sectors and stakeholders, reinforcing our role as a global leader and catalyst for innovation, knowledge exchange, and meaningful impact.,” said ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath.
The WEF session, focused on strategy and leadership for associations and meeting planners, is a key example of this approach, connecting the challenges facing the association community with wider strategic perspectives.
Panama: Where the World Meets
There are few destinations in the world better suited to host a global gathering than Panama. Long recognised as the bridge between continents and a gateway between regions, Panama City provides an inspiring backdrop for the 65th ICCA Congress, welcoming the international meetings community to a place built on connection.
“Panama exists as a crossing between worlds, which is exactly what this Congress celebrates. Hosting the 65th ICCA Congress affirms our role as the meeting place of the Americas and advances a clear ambition to position the country among the world's leading destinations for international association meetings. We are bringing the global association community to a nation defined by its power to connect people, ideas and economies,” said Panama Minister of Tourism Eng. Gloria De León.
Just as Panama unites oceans, cultures and markets, the Congress will bring together association leaders, destination experts, event professionals and industry innovators from around the world. The programme is designed to foster meaningful dialogue, fresh thinking and new partnerships, creating opportunities that extend far beyond the event itself.
By choosing Panama as the host destination, ICCA reinforces the importance of bringing diverse perspectives together in a location that has long served as a meeting point for the world.
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