Program Now Available
Internationally acclaimed children’s book creators Sydney Smith and David A. Robertson are among the speaker highlights of the newly-released official program for the 40th IBBY World Congress, taking place in Ottawa, Canada, from August 6 to 9, 2026.
The 2026 Congress marks Canada’s first time hosting the leading global forum for children’s literature, which will draw more than 500 children’s book creators, publishers, educators, librarians, researchers, and literacy advocates from over 60 countries around the world. Now available online, with a print edition to follow, the downloadable program offers a first look at the Canadian and international speakers, exhibitions, award ceremonies, and special events that will bring to life the Congress theme, “Listening to Each Other’s Voices.”
In addition to Smith and Robertson, the lineup of keynote speakers includes Khodi Dill, a Canadian author, spoken-word artist, and anti-racism educator; Evelyn Arizpe, a professor of children’s literature at the University of Glasgow’s School of Education; Fikile Nxumalo, an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching & Learning at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; and Hasmig Chahinian, head of IBBY France and the Arab collection at the French National Library’s National Centre for Children’s Literature.
Congress award ceremonies will honour the recipients of four major awards, including the 2026 winners of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Awards: writer Michael Rosen (U.K.) and illustrator Cai Gao (China). Often described as the Nobel Prize of children's books, the Andersen is given biennially to an author and illustrator of children's books for their distinguished bodies of work.
The Celebrating Indigenous Voices event will feature the launch of the IBBY–UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books in Indigenous and Endangered Languages; a reading by the winner of the Celebrating Young Indigenous Voices writing competition; and an enlightening conversation between author-editors Nancy Cooper and David A. Robertson and Ben Bowen, CEO of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation—a recent winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for its outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature.
"The release of the program marks an exciting milestone as we prepare to welcome the world of children’s books to Canada," said Patti McIntosh, President of IBBY Canada. "The program reflects years of work by Congress planning committees, the richness and diversity of children’s literature globally, and the power of stories to foster understanding, connection, and hope."
IBBY Canada extends thanks to the sponsors, donors, partners, funders, and volunteers whose generosity, expertise, and dedication have been instrumental to bringing Congress to Canada.