“Beekeeping for the Future: Educate, Innovate, Sustain”

SAVE THE DATE – 15–19 November 2027  ·  Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In November 2027, the global beekeeping community will meet in Dubai for a historic occasion: the 50th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress. This Jubilee edition celebrates five decades of congresses and more than a century of international cooperation in apiculture – and, for the first time, brings the Congress to the Arab world.

Apimondia: more than a century of bringing the beekeeping world together

Apimondia – the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations – has its roots in the International Committee of Apicultural Congresses created in 1893. The first International Apicultural Congress was held in Brussels in 1897, alongside the World Fair, and already gathered 636 participants and 339 exhibitors from ten European countries. Today, Apimondia is a non-governmental organisation based in Rome that promotes the scientific, technical, ecological, social and economic development of beekeeping worldwide. Its work is carried by seven scientific commissions – Apitherapy, Bee Biology, Bee Health, Beekeeping Economy, Pollination and Bee Flora, Beekeeping for Rural Development, and Beekeeping Technology and Quality – and by five regional commissions covering Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

What an Apimondia Congress is about

Held every two years, the Apimondia Congress is the largest international meeting point for everyone involved in beekeeping: beekeepers, researchers, honey traders, equipment manufacturers, technicians, development agencies and legislators. Recent editions took place in Montréal (2019), Istanbul (2022), Santiago de Chile (2023) and Copenhagen (2025). Each Congress combines a scientific programme of symposia, oral presentations and posters, a large international trade exhibition (ApiExpo), the international honey and bee-products competition, the General Assembly of Apimondia’s member associations, and technical excursions to discover beekeeping in the host country.

Why the Dubai Jubilee Congress is special

The 50th Congress is both a celebration of how far the beekeeping community has come and an invitation to shape its next 50 years. Its theme, “Beekeeping for the Future: Educate, Innovate, Sustain”, responds to the pressures that climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity place on bees and beekeepers. The United Arab Emirates offer a unique setting for this conversation: despite extreme heat and scarce rainfall, Emirati beekeepers produce remarkable honeys such as Sidr, Samar, Ghaf and the rare Mangrove honey – a “desert miracle” with lessons for beekeepers everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

• A four-day scientific programme built around four themes: Sustain – arid-land beekeeping for a climate-changed world; Educate – climate-adapted genetics and the global spread of pests and pathogens; Innovate – extreme-climate challenges for honey production and trade; and Beekeeping for the Future – new technologies, bee-product authenticity and youth initiatives.
• The largest ApiExpo so far: about 12,000 m² in Halls 6 and 7 of the Dubai World Trade Centre, twice the size of the Copenhagen 2025 exhibition.
• Firsts for Apimondia: technical excursions across the Arabian Peninsula – from the mountains of Fujairah to the Al Ain oasis and its Emirati Queen Breeding Programme, with the chance to meet the Nahalas, Emirati women beekeepers – and a Public Outreach Programme with workshops and live demonstrations for children and families.

A Jubilee celebration: a cultural evening on the heritage of beekeeping in the UAE, and an open call for ideas for a bee-themed Guinness World Record to be attempted during the Congress.

Programme at a glance

The Congress week runs from Sunday 14 to Saturday 20 November 2027: registration and the opening ceremony, the opening of the ApiExpo, four days of scientific programme, the Apimondia General Assembly, the closing ceremony, and technical excursions, with optional daily tourist tours. The detailed programme and invited speakers will be announced on the Congress website.

How to take part

Abstract submission is now open for oral and poster presentations. Companies and organisations can already reserve exhibition space at the ApiExpo, with lower rates for bookings paid by 15 March 2027. The Dubai World Trade Centre is 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport and directly connected to the metro. Information on visas, accommodation and sponsorship is available on the Congress website.

Registration, abstract submission and exhibition booking: https://apimondia2027.org

Registrations can only be made through the official Congress website, where registration will open soon.