Canada Officially Becomes Host of the Next IBBY World Congress
On September 1, the final day of the 39th IBBY World Congress in Trieste, Italy, Patti McIntosh, Acting President of IBBY Canada, took centre stage as IBBY Italia handed responsibility for the 40th IBBY World Congress to IBBY Canada. It is tradition that as the final element on the Congress program, the current host nation pass the torch on to the next.
In a heartfelt speech, Patti addressed a full room of delegates to accept the honour and reveal the theme and plans for the 40th IBBY World Congress in Ottawa, Ontario. This will be the first time Canada hosts an IBBY World Congress and the excitement was palpable. Patti ended her remarks by showcasing our “Welcome to Congress 2026” video, which received extended applause that lasted throughout the entire credits, crescendo-ing when Hans Christian Andersen Award-winner Sydney Smith, who was in attendance, appeared on screen.
Many delegates expressed their excitement to come to Canada in 2026 and felt that our theme of “Listening to Each Other’s Voices,” expressed as “Écouter la voix de l’autre” in French and “Pizindàdidà Ekidong” in Algonquin, was a perfect fit for both IBBY’s mission and the current world climate.
Canada Officially Becomes Host of the Next IBBY World Congress
You can join in the excitement too! Visit the 40th IBBY World Congress website to learn more and to watch the video.
Submitted by Stephanie Wells
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