Welcome from the Hosts

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences and all North American geoscientists, we have the pleasure of inviting you to support the 38th International Geological Congress (IGC) in Calgary. Together with a Professional Conference Organizer (Venue West), we are working hard to ensure that the Congress will be stimulating, socially memorable, and one that will provide an exhilarating experience.

The International Geological Congress (IGC) is the premier conference for the advancement of global Earth Science. Canada hosted the 12th IGC in Toronto in 1913 and the 24th in Montreal in 1972. The last IGC hosted in North America was Washington, DC (1989). We invite you to support the 38th IGC event in Calgary in its highly anticipated return to North American shores. Sessions such as “Critical Minerals for the Future”, which will provide Caribbean, North, Central and Southern American countries opportunities to showcase results from newly established programs, will extend across the globe, with a special focus on the North American continent.

The history of the Earth, from its infancy 4.6 billion years ago to the present day, is captured across North America. Against this backdrop, we will explore our human environment, climate drivers, resources essential for modern-day life, mitigation of natural disasters, corporate social responsibilities and Indigenous reconciliation. IGC 2028 will feature over 50 field trips, including unique virtual components at very remote locations that are offered to all conference delegates, in addition to traditional field trips such as: Baffin Island in the Canadian High Arctic; diamond deposits of the Northwest Territories; and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Field excursion options will also include Canada’s five UNESCO Geoparks in British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland, as well as the newly designated six Canadian UNESCO Geoheritage Sites – all ranked in the Top 100 globally. Calgary is an international centre, easily accessible from all global locations. The city provides a safe and affordable multicultural experience, with world-class hotels, restaurants and shopping and the iconic Canadian Rocky Mountains a short 1-hour drive to the west.

Calgary has twice been selected by The Economist as the most liveable city in North America. The inspiring new convention centre, the largest in Western Canada, will allow up to ~ 60 parallel sessions to accommodate the expected 10,000+ participants. Education and outreach will be key elements of the program. As with previous IGC events, the GeoHost fund will provide support to young and developing country delegates who wish to attend.

We look forward to your support to help make IGC 2028 in Calgary a memorable adventure for geoscientists from across Canada and around the world.

Yours sincerely,

Glenn Dolphin

Co-chair, IGC 2028 NOC

Katherine Boggs

Co-chair, IGC 2028 NOC