Programme & Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Main theme: “Listening to Each Other’s Voices”

In 1946, Jella Lepman opened the first international exhibition of books for children and young people in the firm belief that books are bridges for understanding and agreement among the peoples of the world. Today, bridges to understanding are needed more than ever. The 2024 IBBY World Congress in Trieste encouraged strengthening and building more bridges by giving every child a good book. The 2026 Congress in Ottawa will further this momentum by encouraging deep listening to the voices and stories in good books and among readers. In line with IBBY’s and IBBY Canada’s missions to promote international understanding through exceptional international children’s literature the theme “Listening to Each Other’s Voices” was chosen for the 2026 Congress. 

Before any substantial progress can be made toward achieving the principles of diversity and inclusion underpinning the 2026 Congress, there must be the ability and willingness to listen— really listen—to each other’s voices and stories in whatever language or form. Authentic listening is nurtured at a young age as children experience the onslaught of voices and stories surrounding them. Listening is responsive. Listening entails processing mentally and emotionally what is being heard, weaving a rich experiential tapestry. Literature creates a safe space for children to listen to each other’s voices, see themselves represented, and engage in genuine conversations with those from all different backgrounds.

We anticipate that all those participating in the 2026 IBBY World Congress will have many opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations in safe spaces to discuss the six intersectional topic clusters that inform the programming.

  • Submit your paper between June 1st – November 1st, 2025
  • Review the outline for the submission (coming soon)
  • Download the call’s postcard (coming soon)

Topics

To achieve our goal to encourage, support, and celebrate spaces that recognize and respect plurality and inclusion, spaces where we can listen to each other’s voices and stories and engage in meaningful conversations on topics that matter in today’s world, we

  • Have structured the programme around six intersectional clusters to encourage conversations among scholars and practitioners: 1. Disability; 2. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour); 3. Migrants/Immigrants/Refugees/Citizenship; 4. Mental Health; 5. Gender/Sex/ Sexuality; and 6. Sustainability
  • Encourage and will support collaborative presentations such as roundtables and panels
  • Encourage and will support roundtables and panels of young people, especially young scholars, practitioners, “advocists” (advocate-activists) and activists

Call for Papers

To complement the keynote speakers, workshops, and exhibitions, the programme will include oral and poster sessions as well as roundtables giving delegates ample opportunities to share and discuss their experiences. 

All participants are invited to submit an abstract for consideration based on their preferred topic. We recognize that many participants will have an intersectional approach, and while we will try to accommodate category preferences, for scheduling purposes it may not always be possible. The main theme of the Congress—“Listening to Each Other’s Voices”—will be developed through the following topics in literature for and/or about children and young people:

Disability

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour)

Migrants/Immigrants/Refugees/Citizenship

Mental Health

Gender/Sex/Sexuality

Sustainability

How and when to submit your projects

Participants are encouraged to submit a request to contribute with an oral presentation (maximum 15 minutes), a panel presentation (3–4 papers, each 11–15 minutes, 45 minutes total), a roundtable, or a poster presentation. 

The subject matter must be pertinent to the general theme of the Congress and one of its allied topics as it pertains to children’s and/or YA literature.

Papers reporting a research study must make reference to the existing literature, describe the study’s focus/aim and methodology, summarize the results, and discuss their implications. Papers reporting a programme or initiative must provide an overview of the project’s aim, the participants, its development, implementation, and results.

  • Abstracts must be submitted exclusively online and in English or French starting June 1, 2025
  • Deadline for submission: November 1, 2025
  • Notice of abstract acceptance by February 1, 2026

Once the submission has been confirmed, no further changes may be made.
Submissions arriving after the deadline cannot be accepted.

Your abstract must indicate:

  1. Name of author(s) and affiliation(s) or “independent”;
  2. The topic for which application is made;
  3. Title (max. 15 words) and text (max. 250 words); panel proposals should include an abstract for the panel (max. 250 words), and a title (max. 15 words) and abstract (max. 250 words) for each presentation (3 or 4);
  4. Pertinent references (3–5)—a major selection criterion. For academic papers, references should indicate previous literature on the topic and the theoretical framework; for projects, references are individuals who can speak to the quality of the undertaking.

Abstracts will be subject to blind peer review by the Congress Scientific Committee.

  • Speakers selected for an oral presentation will have 15 minutes and will be grouped on a panel with two other complementary presentations. Oral presentations may be accompanied by the projection of images/slides and/or short videos.
  • At the end of each panel session, time will be provided for a general question-and-answer conversation.
  • Roundtables should have a moderator and two or more participants; they will be vetted for their participatory potential.
  • Participants selected for a poster presentation will receive indications of details and technical requirements at a later date.

Selected speakers, panelists, and roundtable and poster participants will need to have registered for Congress to be included in the program. Deadlines will be provided in acceptance letters.