South Africa is the host country for one of the most diverse international geosciences conferences, the 35th International Geological Congress. Academics together with experts from all the geosciences will convene for the 35th IGC, which will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 28 August to 02 September 2016.

The IGC is the largest event on the International Union for Geological Sciences calendar and this year it is coming to South Africa. The congress, held every four years, has only been hosted on African soil twice before. With a multitude of workshops, field trips, business meetings, the five-day congress promises cutting edge science and opportunities for collaboration in the multidisciplinary field of geoscience.

The 34th IGC, held in Australia in 2012, attracted more than 6000 delegates from 112 countries across the globe. This year, the 35th IGC will utilise all venues of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, running up to 35 parallel talk sessions and symposia concurrently, totalling more than 750 sessions over the course of the congress. Greg Botha, Secretary-General of the 35th IGC, says, “Three core topics will form the basis of the congress: geosciences for society; geoscience in the economy; and fundamental geoscience.” These topics have been divided into close to 50 themes which cover every aspect of the geosciences; from soil science and medical geoscience to volcanology, geohazards and geoethics. For both individuals and organisations operating in this discipline, the 35th IGC is not to be missed.

“We have been preparing for this congress for almost eight years,” says Botha. “We are building a legacy of knowledge in the discipline. The congress will not just bring together geoscientific professionals from across the globe, it will also highlight Africa’s geological issues and advancements. It will have a lasting impact through geoscientific tourism and development.”
Registrations are open. Visit www.35igc.org