IBBY Canada Unveils Official Poster for the 2026 IBBY World Congress 

IBBY Canada is delighted to unveil the official poster for the 40th biennial IBBY World Congress, which will take place in Ottawa from August 6-9, 2026.

Featuring artwork by internationally acclaimed Canadian illustrators Eric and Terry Fan, the poster highlights the conference’s theme, “Listening to Each Other’s Voices,” with its vivid rendering of birds from around the world chirping “listen” in 23 languages. The birds are perched on the antlers of an iconic Canadian moose.

Eric and Terry Fan, professionally known as the Fan Brothers, have garnered numerous accolades for their work, including The Night Gardener (Simon & Schuster), Ocean Meets Sky (Simon & Schuster), and Lizzy and the Cloud (Simon & Schuster). The Barnabus Project (Tundra Books), a collaboration with their youngest brother, Devin, won two of Canada’s top prizes for children’s literature: the Governor General’s Literary Award for English-language Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.

The Fan Brothers were selected for the evocative, thoughtful, and imaginative ways they interpret narrative and characters, using a unique visual language that invites readers to look closely and listen carefully as the story unfolds. 

“Creating the poster art was a fun challenge because the Congress theme could have many different interpretations,” says Terry Fan. “In the end, the image of the moose won out because it’s so recognizably Canadian, and the birds are a colourful way to show IBBY friends from around the globe flocking to Canada.”

“We’re honoured to have our work featured on the Congress poster,” says Eric Fan, “especially since this is the first time Canada is hosting. It’s such an important event in the children’s book world.”

Patti McIntosh, Acting President of IBBY Canada, notes that the Congress communications committee was unanimous in its enthusiasm for the Fan Brothers’ stunning artwork. “The poster not only represents Canada welcoming the world to Congress,” she says, “but also cleverly embraces the conference theme and shows that listening can be joyful.”

A special thanks also goes out to designer Michèle Guevara, who combined the artwork and text to create the beautiful final product below.

Submitted by Kirsten Brassard and Hadley Dyer

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