IUCN Leaders Forum

A unique, annual platform for debate and consensus-building

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Building on the momentum of IUCN World Conservation Congresses, IUCN has launched the IUCN Leaders Forum, a new series of high-level events, to convene global leaders more frequently on key topics of relevance to the international agenda. 

The inaugural Leaders Forum took place in Jeju, Republic of Korea in October 2022 under the theme of Building nature-positive economies and societies. The second edition of the IUCN Leaders Forum will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11 – 13 October 2023, and will focus on moving the new Global Biodiversity Framework into action, with the theme Global goals for nature: tracking progress, financing success.

Partnership opportunities

IUCN offers partnership opportunities for each Leaders Forum to help ensure a top-quality, accessible and impactful event.

  • Gain visibility and foster brand association with IUCN - the world's largest and most diverse environmental network
  • Build powerful connections with leaders from government, the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities, policy and academia
  • Learn from experts in environment sustainability, nature conservation, biodiversity and climate
  • Exchange thoughts and ideas with inspiring experts, executives, heads of international organisations, national and sub-national governments, as well as young changemakers, representatives of indigenous peoples, local communities and global organisations. 

IUCN welcomes proposals to host the IUCN Leaders Forum 2024

Hosting the IUCN Leaders Forum provides a unique opportunity for a country and city to demonstrate and promote its leadership on global environmental and sustainability issues. It enables them to showcase national and local conservation programmes and activities, and its linkages to other sectors of government and the economy.

The host government and host city can use the IUCN Leaders Forum as a vehicle to launch national or local campaigns on nature-related issues in order to mobilise civil society, businesses and government agencies around key sustainability challenges. In addition, host countries can use the IUCN Leaders Forum to drive the international environmental agenda by rallying global leaders at the forum to launch new initiatives or advance existing ones. Finally, the host country's and city's biodiversity, history and culture willl gain international exposure.

More information

To learn more about the IUCN Leaders Forum, please contact us.