The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, and institutions, has announced the programme for the WAZA Mid-Year Meeting 2026, held from 17 to 18 June.
This year's theme, “Stewards of Tomorrow: Leadership Across Differences. Impact Without Borders,” will gather leaders, conservation experts, and changemakers globally to share ideas, build networks, and discuss how to collaboratively create a thriving future for the community and the species it aims to protect.
As the most accessible WAZA event of the year, the Mid-Year Meeting offers the global zoo and aquarium community a chance to connect without travel barriers. It is fully online and free for WAZA members.
Registration closes on 16 June at 23:59 CEST.
This year, WAZA will debut AI-powered live translation, allowing attendees worldwide to participate more actively in the programme and discussions in their preferred language.
Inspiring keynotes and more
Dr Ken Chandler, chief potential officer at Quest Strategic Solutions, will deliver a keynote address entitled Destination Preferred Future: Our Climb from the Summit to the Peak.
This will examine the shift from traditional to transformational leadership and provide practical tools to help leaders shape their professional paths toward their desired future.
Sujata Biswas, senior principal for talent and transformation at Mercer Singapore, will present a keynote called In Leading Beyond Today: Succession Planning to Build Resilient Institutions.
This session will draw on extensive experience advising organisations across sectors to examine how effective succession planning can enhance leadership development, improve organisational resilience, and support long-term impact.
WAZA Mid-Year Meeting 2026 will introduce a new type of session where attendees can ask zoo and aquarium leaders questions directory
This year, WAZA is also introducing a brand-new programme feature, Convos with CEOs.
Led by WAZA president David Field, these interactive sessions will bring together six CEOs and Directors from top institutions across Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas.
Attendees can directly influence the conversation by submitting questions to speakers via Whova. This encourages a candid and engaging dialogue on topics like leadership, organisational culture, succession planning, and the future of our profession.
Participating leaders on Day 1 include Katy Duke of The Deep, Leslie Mudimeli from the National Zoological Garden of South Africa, and Phil Ainsley of Zoos South Australia.
On Day 2, attendees will hear from Friederike von Houwald from Tierpark Bern, Jennifer Driban of the National Aquarium, and Luis Soto of Zoológico Guadalajara.
Over two days, attendees will experience leadership and professional development sessions, strategic talks on the future of the zoo and aquarium community, global insights from members and partners, engaging discussions and networking, along with important updates from WAZA.
For more information, to view the full programme, and to register for the event, please click here.
Last week, WAZA announced its new International Studbook (ISB) Framework, reflecting a major milestone for global population management and cross-regional partnerships.
