Chambers from across the Asia Pacific region are finalizing their bids to host the 6th World Chambers Congress when it returns to the region in 2009.
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers has already submitted its letter tabling Kuala Lumpur as the ideal location for the Congress. The World Chambers Federation (WCF) is also in contact with chambers in India, China, Japan and Australia, all wishing to know more about how their country could be a potential candidate to host this event.
Chambers interested in hosting the congress in 2009 need to submit their letter of intent to bid for the congress by May 2006.
The last WCF congress in the area was the 2nd World Chambers Congress held in June 2001 in Seoul, Korea.
The World Chambers Congress is the only event of its scale and scope to bring together chambers of commerce of all sizes from around the globe. It provides a forum for chambers to share best-practice experience, develop networks and learn about new areas of innovation from other chambers as they face the challenge of remaining relevant to companies in their region. A special feature of the congress is the World Chambers Competition.
The 4th World Chambers Congress was held last June in Durban, South Africa, and the 5th World Chambers Congress will be held in Istanbul from 4-6 July 2007.
All candidates will present their locations to the WCF Steering Committee on 14 June 2006. Candidates will submit their formal bidding dossiers by the end of August 2006 for WCF's Congress Selection Committee, which will make its final decision by the end of October 2006. This will allow the winning host chamber ample time to promote the 2009 event at the Istanbul congress.
Guidelines have been developed to help chambers complete their bids for the WCF Congress Selection Committee. This committee is made up of the WCF Chairmanship, leading members and past hosts from the global chamber community.
Ever since the first World Chambers Congress was held in Marseilles in 1999, chambers from every continent have lined up as candidates to host this important event.
Chambers from the Americas have also started to contact WCF expressing their interest to host the congress in 2011, including a chamber in Mexico City.
WCF has received expressions of interest to host the congress right up to 2015.
