The race is on to see which city will welcome the 12th edition of the largest global chamber event of its kind, the World Chambers Congress. Four chambers are in the running for the World Chambers Federation’s (WCF) flagship event, returning in 2021 to the Africa/Middle East region.
Moving from region to region around the globe on a biennial basis, the World Chambers Congress is the only international forum for chamber leaders and business professionals to share best-practices, exchange insights, develop networks and address the latest business issues affecting their communities. The prestigious event brings together over 1,000 delegates from more than 100 countries, making it an ideal and unique platform to foster positive development, cooperation and the advancement of bold initiatives.
The 8th World Chambers Congress in Qatar, 2013 was the last Congress to be held in the Africa/Middle East region. Vying for the chance to showcase their nation’s chambers as well as their country’s appeal and potential, the finalists looking to co-organise the 12th World Chambers Congress in 2021 are:
Dubai Chamber of Commerce;
Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce (ECCSA);
Iran Chamber of Commerce (ICCIMA); and
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
From dedicated participation in previous Congresses to leadership roles within WCF, these chambers each have shown their unwavering support of the global chamber movement and its ever-growing network. Commenting on the bidding process, WCF Chair Peter Mihok said: “We congratulate the four competing chambers for making it this far and are excited to see what each of them plan to highlight in their upcoming presentations.”
The selected candidates are set to submit a first draft of their bid on 9 March. On 10 April, during the WCF General Council meeting in Beijing, each chamber will present their offers to win over the jury with visuals and reasons why their location would be the best destination for the Congress. The final version of each candidate’s bid will be circulated on 24 April with the final announcement to be made in June 2018.
“Welcoming our Congress is an unrivalled privilege and leaves a significant legacy for our co-organiser. Every detail must be carefully considered. We will be looking for each chamber to showcase their country’s unique advantage in helping our global chamber community be stronger, more innovative and more globally interconnected,” said Mr Mihok.
The next World Chambers Congress will be co-organised with the Brazilian Commercial and Business Associations (CACB) and held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 12-14 June 2019.
