1986-2026: 40 years of WGMS

At this year’s WGMS General Assembly, we will reflect on the achievements and future challenges of glacier monitoring with our National Correspondents and international partner organizations. As in previous years, the General Assembly will comprise three regional meetings, enabling us to focus on regional challenges and networks while reducing the associated carbon footprint by half.

The meeting in Santiago de Chile, for our National Correspondents from the Americas, will take place in November 2026. The meeting will take place concurrently with a meeting of UNESCO’s Working Group on Snow and Ice (Grupo de Trabajo de Nieves y Hielos).

Venue
UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, Plaza Pedro de Valdivia, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

Programme
23.11.2026: Arrival, registration, ice breaker, welcome speeches (afternoon/evening)
24.11.2026: Background (international monitoring strategy, current initiatives and developments, collaboration networks), status reports on national implementation by WGMS National Correspondents
25.11.2026: Workshops on achievements and challenges, including geodetic glacier change assessments for entire mountain ranges, data submission, strengthening the regional network, and public outreach
26.11.2026: Excursion Cordillera de los Andes
27.11.2026: Departure (optional: meeting Grupo de Trabajo de Nieves y Hielos (GTNH)

An invitation to this meeting will be sent to the National Correspondents in the Americas. A detailed programme will be provided later this year.

Visa requirements
Participants are responsible for their visa applications.

Accommodations
Travel arrangements and payment are the responsibility of the participants. More details will follow soon.

Weather & climate conditions
local conditions

Local Organizing Committee (LOC)