XXI INTERNATIONAL BOTANICAL CONGRESS

Stephen Boatwright (University of Cape Town, South Africa)

In the wake of a successful International Botanical Congress (IBC) hosted in Madrid from 21–27 July 2024, the South African botanical community is proud to announce that we are the next hosts for this prestigious event. The XXI IBC will be hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, from 21–28 July 2029. It is long overdue for the IBC to come to Africa, as this conference has never been hosted on the African continent in its almost 160-year history.

Why Cape Town?

Not only is South Africa rich in cultural diversity, but it is also home to three of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, two found in the Greater Cape Floristic Region. Cape Town, situated at the southwestern tip of Africa, is located in this unique botanically diverse area, and offers a spectacular venue for the IBC. The city boasts exceptional beauty, including one of the most spectacular botanical gardens in the world (Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens), as well as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Table Mountain, and boasts many other tourist attractions that will appeal to IBC delegates. The rich flora in the Western Cape is dominated by fynbos, boasting a spectacular ca. 9500 plant species of which 68% are endemic. This flora has fascinated naturalists since its formal documentation by European explorers in the sixteenth century. Since then, and following the establishment of a port for seafarers in the late 1600s, there has been a fascinating history of documentation and description of the flora right up to the present day.

Please visit the website (https://ibccapetown2029.co.za/) for more information, and to join the mailing list.