International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international organization of library and information professionals and associations. Every year, they hold the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC), which is said to be the 'most international event' in the library profession.
Due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions imposed between countries, IFLA has decided to cancel the event. The 2022 Congress was originally planned to be in the New Zealand International Convention Center in Auckland. However, it is uncertain if the venue in New Zealand will be ready for the Congress as there are issues with delays in its construction.
It has been decided that the venue for the next Congress will be in Dublin, Ireland in 2022.
This will be the first year since 1946 (74 years now) that the Congress will not push through.
Those who have already registered for the event, as well as sponsors and exhibitors, will be refunded.
"Alongside the overriding need to put the health of our members, volunteers, hosts, exhibitors, sponsors and staff first, we are also facing strict and evolving travel restrictions, and the varied progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in different parts of the world.
While we can and do hope that the worst will be behind us by August, there is too much uncertainty to be able to guarantee an event that is as safe, open and inspiring for all as we want, or that would do justice to all the great work already done by our hosts on the Irish National Committee. As a result, the IFLA Governing Board and Irish National Committee agree that because of the current circumstances, we cannot go ahead as planned," says the official statement from IFLA.
I have also attended the IFLA WLIC in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I got a travel grant from the National Library of Malaysia which was for first-time attendees of the Congress. It was a milestone for me as it was my first time ever traveling alone to another country and also my first time attending an international librarians' conference. You can read my experience in the following blog posts: My first International Librarians' Conference: IFLA WLIC 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Malaysia 2018: my first journey alone.
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