The Inaugural Meeting of the first Baptist World Congress was held at Exeter Hall on Tuesday, July 11, 1905. His Honour Judge Willis, K.C., President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, occupied the chair, and the hall was crowded with the delegates, numbering nearly 3,000.

The quinquennial global gatherings of the Alliance have continued for more than a century. World conflicts made it impossible to hold to a strict five-year plan, but BWA has held 21 Congresses: London,1905; Philadelphia, 1911; Stockholm, 1923; Toronto, 1928; Berlin, 1934; Atlanta, 1939; Copenhagen, 1947; Cleveland, 1950; London, 1955; Rio de Janeiro, 1960; Miami Beach, 1965; Tokyo, 1970; Stockholm, 1975; Toronto, 1980; Los Angeles, 1985; Seoul, 1990; Buenos Aires, 1995; Melbourne, 2000; Birmingham, England, 2005; Honolulu, 2010; Durban, 2015.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 22nd Baptist World Congress was re-scheduled for July 7-10, 2021. In light of the ever-evolving nature of the virus, the Baptist World Alliance is currently in a thorough review process of options for the 22nd Baptist World Congress. We will share more details when available. Thank you for your patience and for your prayers on behalf of the many lives currently impacted by this disease. Click to learn more about our “Standing Together” Global Response to COVID-19.