DAY three SUMMARY
IFLA President’s Session
Outgoing IFLA President Vicki McDonald looked back on her term under the theme Stronger Together. Over the past two years, in a fast-changing world presenting many challenges, her message of unity and collective strength has proved more relevant than ever.
The session explored what it means to adopt a radical approach to collaboration, both within the library field and with the wider world. Delegates were inspired by bold and thought-provoking ideas from leaders across the profession, which will continue in our session with the IFLA President-elect.
“The WLIC sessions are so inspiring and innovative that it truly reflects in the way we take notes. Libraries are shaping the future through advocacy, digital inclusion, social connection, and by being sanctuaries for communities. We are not only observers—we are active actors in building this future.”
– Merve Yavuzdemir, Türkiye
“Dr. Kaïs Hammami from the Centre for Strategic Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, ICESCO, Morocco, calls for libraries and societies to play a central role in shaping the future. ‘No foresight without hindsight’. It highlights the consensus that looking forward must be grounded in a deep understanding of the past, urging libraries to blend retrospection, decolonization, and adaptation to serve future generations. Another point covered was how we must Think Locally and Act Globally. It shows the need for local engagement and global cooperation, especially as libraries reimagine themselves as interconnected, technology-driven hubs bridging diverse communities worldwide.”
– Madiareni Sulaiman
Regional Engagement, Global Impact: Connecting with UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty
“IFLA was excited to welcome a team from the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty to WLIC 2025!
Director Amir Piric and National Programme Officer for Communication and Information Majer Massanov joined us to share examples of the work being done in the region on culture, science, and media and information literacy. The role of UNESCO as a knowledge repository and resource was stressed, and the team spoke to opportunities for libraries to use UNESCO’s materials and get involved in their initiatives.
Director Amir Piric also recognised the long partnership between IFLA and UNESCO, and highlighted both the 2022 IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto and the 2025 IFLA-UNESCO School Library Manifesto as concrete examples of what we can do together. The team behind the School Library Manifesto update, led by the School Libraries Section, was able to share the Manifesto in an impressive diversity of languages! IFLA’s Secretary General, Sharon Memis, stopped by to stress how we hope this conference will help support the library sector in Central Asia, and reaffirm IFLA cooperation with UNESCO on our shared goals”.
– Claire McGuire, IFLA Policy and Research Manager
Successful Strategies for Library Advocacy and Financial Sustainability
“I had the chance to participate in the session “Successful Strategies for Library Advocacy and Financial Sustainability” at IFLA WLIC 2025. The discussion offered valuable insights on how library associations can strengthen advocacy efforts while ensuring long-term sustainability. Speakers highlighted the importance of financial resilience, strong membership, and strategic planning. At the end, representatives from different countries shared their experiences and suggestions, which added diverse perspectives. I also connected with colleagues working in library associations, and this networking helped me gather useful information to support our goals.
A special highlight of the session was meeting Mr. Michael Dowling, Director of the International Relations Office of the American Library Association (ALA). He kindly shared advice and recommendations on building and managing a library association. Dowling’s guidance was both inspiring and practical, and I hope this could be a valuable contribution for the future”.
– Husniya Boysunova, Uzbekistan
WLIC 2025 Business Meetings
Business meetings are a key part of IFLA WLICs. They represent a great opportunity for colleagues from Professional Units (including Sections, SIGs, Advisory Committees, Review Groups) that are used to collaborating only online across different countries to meet up in person, bring ideas together and strengthen their partnerships.
This year, IFLA has hosted 7 different business meetings throughout the congress.
Workshopping Information Integrity for a Healthy Information Environment
A successful session was conducted on Wednesday by the IFLA Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) Committee.
The useful input we obtained during the session will contribute to the Information Integrity Toolkit to be released by FAIFE in the coming months!
Maria de Brasdefer, Policy and Advocacy Officer
IFLA General Assembly 2025
The IFLA General Assembly – the primary opportunity for our Members to take decisions about our Federation – was held in a hybrid format in Astana and online on Wednesday 20 August and reconvenes on Thursday at the Closing Session. Agenda, past assembly meeting minutes and other support documentation are available in the Convening Notice.
A full recording of the live-streamed session is available on our YouTube channel. The Report of the President is available in the IFLA Repository.
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More Information
Out Now: IFLA Annual Report 2024
The IFLA Annual Report 2024 presents the text reviewed and agreed by IFLA’s members at our General Assembly in Astana. IFLA’s members, volunteers, partners and the wider library field will find highlights of work carried out under the different impact areas of our 2024-2029 Strategy, as well as deeper dives into the work of our volunteer units, publications, events and membership.
Become an IFLA Member: benefit from our year-end membership offer by joining now!
Become an IFLA Member: benefit from our year-end membership offer by joining now!
Did you know that if you join NOW as an IFLA member or affiliate, you pay at the 2025 rate, and your fee will cover your membership for the rest of the year and all of 2026!
Read on to find out more about how to become an IFLA Member
