IPPNW World Congresses are important opportunities for health professionals, medical students, and activists to share information and strategies related to the abolition of nuclear weapons and the prevention of armed violence. World Congresses are hosted by national IPPNW affiliates, who share responsibility with the Federation’s leadership for developing the program and handling all the logistics. Affiliates interested in hosting a future World Congress should submit proposals to the Executive Committee.
The first IPPNW Congress was held in 1981, at Airlie House in Virginia, USA.
IPPNW’s 24th World Congress, Nagasaki, Japan, 2-4 October 2025
Join IPPNW’s 24th World Congress in Nagasaki, Japan. This historic occasion marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki offers an unparalleled opportunity to reflect on the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons and to recommit to global efforts toward disarmament. The main Congress will be 2-4 October, 2025 with a Student Congress on 1 October and governance (International Council and Board) meetings on 1 & 5 October. We expect over one hundred and fifty health professionals and students from IPPNW affiliates worldwide to attend in person to explore practical steps toward advancing nuclear abolition and securing our common future.
Stay tuned for registration and program details. Contact Molly McGinty at mmcginty@ippnw.org with any questions.
Chronological list of past Congresses, with links to Congress statements:
1. Airlie,Virginia, USA — 1981 [Congress statement]
2. Cambridge, United Kingdom — 1982 [Congress statement]
3. Amsterdam, Netherlands — 1983 [Congress statement]
4. Espoo/Helsinki, Finland — 1984 [Congress statement]
5. Budapest, Hungary — 1985 [Congress statement]
6. Cologne, Germany — 1986 [Congress statement]
7. Moscow, Russia — 1987 [Congress statement]
8. Montreal, Canada — 1988 [Congress statement]
9. Hiroshima/Nagasaki, Japan — 1989 [Congress statement]
10. Stockholm, Sweden — 1991 [Congress statement]
11. Mexico City, Mexico — 1993
12. Worcester, Massachusetts, USA — 1996
13. Melbourne, Australia — 1998 [Congress statement]
14. Paris, France — 2000 [Congress statement]
15. Washington D.C., USA — 2002 [Congress statement]
16. Beijing, China — 2004 [Congress statement]
17. Helsinki, Finland — 2006 [Congress statement]
18. New Delhi, India — 2008 [Congress statement]
19. Basel, Switzerland — 2010 [Congress statement]
20. Hiroshima, Japan — 2012 [Congress statement]
21. Astana, Kazakhstan — 2014 [Congress statement]
22. York, United Kingdom — 2017 [Congress statement]
23. Mombasa, Kenya — 2023 [Congress statement]