We are thrilled to announce the opening of the call for hosting the 14th World Environmental Education Congress, set to take place in 2028. This esteemed event will bring together leaders, experts, and professionals from the field of environmental education, offering a unique chance to advance and share environmental practices and knowledge on a global scale.
WEEC 2028 – Call for bids
14th World Environmental Education Congress (14th WEEC) to be held in 2028
The application is only open to public or private organisations involved in environmental education (such as universities, associations, foundations, governmental or local bodies, etc.).
Public or private non-profit organisations concerned with their country’s candidacy as the seat of the 14th WEEC in 2028 must send an Expression of Interest (EOI) as soon as possible and complete the Application Form before 31 December 2024.
The candidatures will be assessed primarily according to the following criteria:
- Demonstrating they have relevant experience in the field of environmental education.
- Demonstrating they have adequate experience as local, national, regional, and international event organisers.
- Demonstrating they are skilled in creating networks at different levels and involving various institutions and organisations (national authorities, local institutions, Higher, Secondary and Primary education institutions, parks, museums, NGOs, mass media, etc.) in the organisation and participation in the Congress.
- Demonstrating their ability to ensure broad international participation at the Congress.
- Supporting and strengthening the WEEC International Network by allocating a budget to the Permanent Secretariat for the network activities. All proposals that exceed the minimum fee requirement will be positively evaluated.
- Demonstrating they have adequate congress facilities (e.g. plenary hall to host at least 1,000 participants, approx. ten break-out rooms, offices for PS, exhibition area, catering area, e-poster exhibition area, technical equipment…). The Congress site must be accessible for international Congress attendees, including individuals with disabilities. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) is expected to provide security policies relevant to the Congress site and the participants. Availability of childcare is valued. Preference is given to venues with the best sustainability parameters (green certification, renewable energy, etc.).
- Demonstrating that they can mobilise the necessary resources at the local and national levels (and possibly at the regional and international levels) to guarantee the Congress’s financial sustainability.
- The LOC should demonstrate their commitment to containing Congress participation costs and facilitating the participation of people from disadvantaged countries or categories (e.g., young people, students, and accompanying persons) by reducing the fees and other costs of participation and overnight stays. A special participation fee can be considered for attending online. The online fee can be considered at least for the plenary sessions, preferably for the entire Congress. The LOC should also provide special discounts for those who have participated in previous Congresses or are WEEC network members.
- Engaging to offer sponsorship to an adequate number of delegates from developing countries (if the bidder is in a developed country).
- Ensuring that the administrative procedures allow the signing of the MoU and the timely meeting of the payment deadlines for the SP.
- Guaranteeing the quality of the contents and the cultural project of the Congress, in continuity and total agreement with the results and the purpose of the cultural project of the previous Congresses and in close cooperation with the Permanent Secretariat that will co-chair the Congress.
- Designing the final call for the Congress and the program according to the guidelines and advice of the Secretariat and the International Socio-Scientific Committee established by the Secretariat. The final program must be shared and approved by the SP. The program is typically planned for five days.
- The LOC should also consider the YEEC (Youth Environmental Education Conference), a special side event involving young people from 15 to young professionals. The YEEC has its committee, programme, rooms, and special discounted rates for participants (free for those under 18).
- Planning social events like an opening reception and a banquet/networking dinner and planning cultural events and field trips for the Congress participants to learn about local environmental education in the field (the cost of field trips can be included or excluded from the registration fee depending on the overall budget).
- Guaranteeing cultural diversity and increased participation, also due to using several languages, such as English, French, and Spanish, at least both for the website and during the Congress plenary sessions or more.
- Having preferably close relationships with the WEEC Congresses and the network in the past.
- Guaranteeing the ecological consistency of the Congress by taking every measure to minimise the ecological/carbon footprint of the event and assuring its socio and eco-sustainability both as venues and as other aspects (i.e. transports, accommodation, social program outside, and so on).
- Accepting a draft of a schedule proposed by the Permanent Secretariat.
- Guaranteeing legacy and positive impact for the destination (providing criteria to measure the sustainability of the Congress), encouraging positive impact from a social, environmental, and cultural point of view, and fostering long-lasting benefits for local communities.
- Ensuring the social and economic correctness of suppliers (products and producers that respect ethical requirements, workers’ rights, non-discrimination of women, minorities, etc.).
- Establishing the Congress website (www.weec2028.org) approximately two years before the Congress opening day, according to guidelines provided by the PS. The website should give potential participants all the necessary information and an opportunity to pay for registration online and be linked to the WEEC Network website. The webmaster is expected to work closely with the WEEC Permanent Secretariat. After the Congress, the website will be transferred to the PS who will manage it in the following years.
- Guaranteeing to produce the Congress proceedings within six months of the end of the Congress. The proceedings will be published online (pdf) on the Congress website and the SP website, with ISBN provided by the Permanent Secretariat.
- Delivering the final financial report to the PS no later than 120 calendar days after the Congress.
The 14th WEEC in 2028 will be assigned indicatively by 30th April 2025.
The official announcement of the 14th WEEC will be at the 13th WEEC 2026 in Perth (Australia). Before this date, the winner will be under embargo.