Host a World Cancer Leaders' Summit

UICC Full Members are invited to formally express an interest to bid to host the World Cancer Leaders' Summit (WCLS), one of UICC's flagship events.

As of 2021, the Summit will be held every two years. Hosting this event which attracts over 350 high profile leaders in cancer control and public health is a unique opportunity for a host country and host member organisation to raise their profile globally in the fight against cancer and leave a long lasting impact regionally. 

The calibre of the event has grown significantly over the past few years, with increased visibility and relevance for the global leaders in public health. In 2018, the Summit was awarded the "Incredible Impact Grant" by ICCA and the BestCities Global Alliance, for the impact the 2017 Summit generated in its host country, Mexico.

Over the years, Summit host organisations and countries have widely benefited from welcoming the leaders of the global cancer community in their respective countries. It gives them an opportunity to considerably push forward their national and regional agendas and secure a coordinated and multileveled response. Each edition has a specific theme aligned with the current global health agenda which ensures that the 2020 targets detailed in the World Cancer Declaration are appropriately recognised and addressed at the highest political levels.

The 2020 WCLS will take place in Muscat, Oman and be co-hosted by the Oman Cancer Association and the National Oncology Centre, Royal Hospital. 

Past events took place in the following locations (in reverse chronological order):

• 2021 in Boston (took place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic),  hosted by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• 2019 in Nur-Sultan, hosted by the Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR)
• 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) 
• 2017 in Mexico City, hosted by the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (INCan) 
• 2016 in Paris, hosted by the French League Against Cancer & ALIAM 
• 2015 in Istanbul, hosted by the Turkish Association for Cancer Research and Control (TACRC)
• 2014 in Melbourne, hosted by Cancer Council Australia
• 2013 in Cape Town, hosted by Cancer Association of South Africa
• 2012 in Montréal, co-hosted by the Quebec Cancer Foundation, McGill University and Université de Montréal
• 2011 in Dublin, hosted by the Irish Cancer Society
• 2010 in Shenzhen, hosted by the China Anti-Cancer Association
• 2008 in Geneva, co-hosted by European School of Oncology Foundation, OncoSuisse and Ligue Suisse contre le Cancer

Bidding process

The next open year to bid for the World Cancer Leaders' Summit is 2023. A call for expressions of interest will be sent to UICC Full members early in 2021.

Please find below the main steps to follow when submitting your expression of interest. All letters are to be addressed to Mrs Jessica Mathieu, UICC, Head of Congress and events:

• A letter of expression of interest from the CEO of your organisation indicating institutional support and commitment.
• A letter of support from the proposed convention bureau mentioning the destination’s capacity in hosting an event of such calibre.
• The confirmation that your organisation will provide a financial investment of USD 400,000.

All expressions of interest must be submitted by one or several UICC Full Members, in collaboration and with the support of the national/city convention bureau.

If you are interested in hosting a future Summit, please contact Mrs Jessica Mathieu, Head of Events & Congress at UICC: mathieu@uicc.org.