submitted by Hana Krejbichova
After Abu Dhabi, Seoul, Mexico City or Paris, Prague is proud to host the 27th World Road Congress this year. For the Prague Congress Centre and the Czech Republic, hosting the world’s largest summit of road transport experts is a huge achievement. The candidacy process of host countries is traditionally conducted at the highest diplomatic level, this year the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Transport have been actively involved.
“Prague won the prestigious congress with 122 points, ahead of cities like Kuala Lumpur and Sydney, which came second with half the points. The convincing victory gives Prague a unique opportunity to welcome up to 4,000 road transport professionals from all over the world. This will be the second time in our history that we will be hosting the World Road Congress, after more than fifty years,” explains Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic.
The prestigious global event will be attended by representatives of 96 countries from around the world and will feature 30 national pavilions, 16 more than the last edition in 2019 in the United Arab Emirates. The number of congress delegates is also growing exponentially. This year, more than 4,000 delegates are expected to gather at the Prague Congress Centre from 2 to 6 October. This year’s event will be held in-person, but lectures and discussions will also be available on streaming platforms.
“From our statistical data, which we have been monitoring and evaluating at the Prague Convention Bureau for a long time, we have it confirmed that events held in Prague attract up to 15% more delegates compared to other destinations. I am glad that the upcoming World Road Congress is estimated to attract such a significant number of experts in the field of road transport. At the same time, for the local professional community, the congress will be a great opportunity to share the latest knowledge. They will have much easier access to the congress’s educational program than if the event were held abroad. Already in 1971, when Prague hosted this congress for the first time, a quarter of the more than two thousand participants were from the then Czechoslovakia. I firmly believe that this year’s edition will allow Czech delegates to gain invaluable know-how and transfer the latest procedures into practice in the Czech Republic,” adds Roman Muška, Director of the Prague Convention Bureau, the organization that officially frameworks the Prague meetings industry.
The main topics of this year’s summit will be mobility and infrastructure, but experts will also cover new topics such as electromobility and autonomous vehicles or the industry’s shift towards carbon neutrality.
This year, the congress will also focus on reaching out to the general public, with an emphasis on maximising youth engagement. Accompanying events for the public will include, for example, a simulation of a car crash in the centre’s outdoor area, a demonstration of the operation of an autonomous “driverless” bus, or a simulation of a scooter ride on various surfaces. Short films, lectures by leading experts, group discussions and podcasts will be available for congress delegates as well as students or general public.
The event’s program also includes tours of Prague and the most interesting places in the Czech and Slovak Republics. “The Prague Congress Centre is located in close proximity to Vyšehrad, a famous Prague historical sight that offers not only a glimpse into the past of the Czech Republic, but also breathtaking views of the city. Thanks to the centre’s location directly on the metro, you can be in the historical centre of Prague within ten minutes to enjoy the charms of the city right after the congress program is over,” adds Lenka Žlebková, CEO of the Prague Congress Centre.
