IBBY Congress Guidelines
1. A congress of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is held every two years and is the joint responsibility of the IBBY Executive Committee and the National Section organizing the congress. Applications from interested National Sections are invited no less than four years in advance.
2. The objective and aim of IBBY's biennial congresses is bring together IBBY members and other people involved in children's books and reading development from all over the world. An IBBY Congress also serves as a frame not only for the General Assembly and other meetings, but also for the presentation of different exhibitions and celebrations such as the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, the IBBY Honour List and the IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award.
3. The congress site, date, theme, programme, plenary speakers, participation fee and budget must be agreed to by the IBBY Executive Committee. Before the initial congress flyer and poster are printed the IBBY Secretariat will be consulted.
4. The IBBY logo shall be used throughout the congress, including all the publications related to the congress.
5. To support the programme planning, the Executive Committee appoints one of its members to function as a corresponding member of the organizing committee. It is this person’s responsibility to act as a liaison with the Congress organizers, to raise potential issue of concern, and to represent IBBY’s point of view to the Congress organizers.
6. The programme of the congress shall include specific IBBY functions:
a. IBBY General Assembly
b. Presentation of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards including a festive ceremony and dinner afterwards for all participants and special guests. The whole event is to be coordinated and agreed with IBBY.
c. Presentation of the IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Awards including a presentation of the winning projects as part of the plenary programme and a festive ceremony with dinner afterwards for all participants and special guests. The whole event is to be coordinated and agreed with IBBY.
d. Presentation of the IBBY Honour List selection and nominees diplomas
e. A session related to IBBY.
f. Possible IBBY workshops
g. The outgoing and newly elected IBBY Executive Committee and the Bookbird Correspondents will also meet before, after or during the congress.
h. The timing of these events and their placement within the schedule of the Congress shall be negotiated with IBBY taking into account the central importance these events play in IBBY’s operations.
7. During the congress simultaneous translation into English and Spanish shall be available at plenary sessions and whenever possible elsewhere. The main papers shall be available to participants at the congress in at least two of the official IBBY languages (E/F/G/Sp).
8. The proceedings of the congress are the responsibility of the organizing section. They shall be in English and published electronically in time for the Bologna Children's Book Fair following the congress.
9. The congress fee is to be paid by every participant except:
a. Local organizers
b. Elected and ex officio EC members, IBBY Directors
c. Hans Christian Andersen Award winners and partners (max. 4)
d. IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award winners and partners (max. 4)
e. Main speakers
f. Next congress organizer
g. A limited number of sponsors
10. The congress participants' fee should not exceed CHF 850.00 and should include the following:
a. Attendance of the complete professional programme, IBBY functions and social events
b. Lunches, receptions and refreshments during the professional days
c. Local transport
d. Free copy of published congress proceedings, either electronically or in print
11. Graded registration fees are required to allow full participation of all IBBY members.
12. Participants from countries where there is no National Section should pay the appropriate fee as if a National Section existed there.
13. The congress fee does not include accommodation. The organizing National Section shall arrange suitable and inexpensive accommodation options for the participants.
14. The payment of the expenses of the main speakers is recommended. Honoraria are optional.
15. The organizing National Section is responsible for the budget of the congress.
16. It is required that 10% of the participants' fees paid go to IBBY. If a profit is made, it should be shared equally with IBBY. These revenues will be used by IBBY to defray its direct Congress expenses. What remains will be used at IBBY’s discretion to subsidize future congress costs of needy sections.
17. The organizers should assist participants with visa requests by issuing letters of invitation immediately upon receipt of their registration. They should be aware of the time frame and delegate a person to deal specifically with this issue who will advocate for people who may have difficulty obtaining a visa.
18. A document with an especially formulated check-list and time frame is available from the IBBY Secretariat upon request.
19. These guidelines have been approved by the Executive Committee of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) on XX September 2009.
Kuala Lumpur, September 2009 / ep/pa