World Congress of Neurology (WCN) meetings

The WFN holds biennial world congresses, which rotate throughout the regions (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe) of the world. The congress consists of scientific sessions, teaching courses, presentations and poster sessions, as well as structural and business meetings.

WCN brings together leading scientists, public health experts, policy-makers to translate recent momentous scientific advances into action that will address means to end the epidemic, within the current context of significant global economic challenges.

The WCN is a live event and is accredited by the EACCME (European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education), AMA (American Medical Association) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, being evaluated to the highest international standards.

The XXVII WCN 2025 meeting will be held in Seoul, South Korea.

WCN 2025 website

WCN Archive


WCN Meeting Archives

XXVI WCN 2023

Brain Health is Our Greatest Wealth

Montreal, Canada

15 - 19 October 2023

XXV WCN 2021 Virtual Congress

Inspired by the Past to Build the Future of Neurology

Rome, Italy

3 - 7 October 2021

XXV WCN 2019

Accelerating the Pace of Change

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

26 - 31 October 2019

XXIII WCN 2017

Defining the Future of Neurology

Kyoto, Japan

16 - 21 September 2017

XXII WCN 2015

Changing Neurology Worldwide

Santiago, Chile

31 October - 5 November 2015

XXI WCN 2013

Neurology in the Age of Globalisation

Vienna, Austria

21 - 26 September 2013

XX WCN 2011

With Africa, For Africa

Marrakesh, Morocco

12 - 17 November 2011

XIX WCN 2009

Innovation in Neurology

Bangkok, Thailand

24 - 30 October 2009

 

WCN will have a positive impact on the topics of the congress response globally with the following objectives;

  • To bring together the worlds scientific experts to catalyze and advance scientific knowledge about Neurology, present the most recent research findings, and promote and enhance scientific collaborations around the world.
  • To bring together community leaders, scientists, and policy leaders to promote and enhance programmatic collaborations to more effectively address regional, national and local responses to Neurology around the world and overcome barriers that limit access to prevention, care and services.
  • To engage key, new and non-traditional stakeholders throughout the world in the development of and participation throughout the congress program.
 

Past International and World Neurological meetings

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF NEUROLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
  1907 Amsterdam, the Netherlands

 

INTERNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL CONGRESSES
1st 1931 Berne, Switzerland President: Dr Bernard Sachs; Vice President: Sir Charles Sherrington; Secretary-General: Dr Henry Alsop Riley
2nd 1935 London, U.K. President: Dr (later Sir) Gordon Holmes; Honorary President: Dr Bernard Sachs; Secretary-General: Dr Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson
3rd 1939 Copenhagen, Denmark President: Prof. Viggo Christiansen; Honorary President: Dr Bernard Sachs;
2nd Honorary President: Sir Charles Sherrington;
3rd Honorary President: Dr (later Sir) Gordon Holmes);
11 Vice-Presidents (incl. Dr Ludo van Bogaert)
4th 1949 Paris, France  
5th 1953 Lisbon, Portugal President: Dr António Flores; Secretary-General: Dr Almeida Lima);
Honorary Presidents: Sir Gordon Holmes, Dr Georges Charles Guillain, Dr André-Thomas, Dr Théophile Alajouanine, Dr Egas Moniz
6th 1957 Brussels, Belgium  
7th 1961 Rome, Italy President: Prof. Mario Gozzano; Vice-President: Dr H.Houston Merritt; 
Secretary: Dr Giovanni Alema
8th 1965 Vienna, Austria President: Prof. Dr Hans Hoff; Vice-President: Prof. Franz Seitelberger;
Secretary: Dr Helmuth Tschabitscher
9th 1969 New York, USA President: Dr H. Houston Merritt; Secretary-General: Prof. Melvin D. Yahr; 
Treasurer: Prof. Morris B. Bender
10th 1973 Barcelona, Spain President: Dr A. Subirana; Vice-President: Dr I. Barraquer Bordas; 
Secretary: Dr J.M. Espadaler
WORLD CONGRESSES OF NEUROLOGY
11th 1977 Amsterdam, the Netherlands President: Prof.  Dr W.A. den Hartog Jager; Secretary: Prof. Dr George Bruyn;
Treasurer-General: Dr A.P.J.Heijstee
12th 1981 Kyoto, Japan President: Prof. Shibanosuke Katsuki; Secretary-General: Prof. Tadao Tsubaki
13th 1985 Hamburg, Germany President: Prof. Klaus Poeck; Vice President: Prof. H. Gänshirt;
General Secretary: Prof. H-G. Mertens
14th 1989 New Delhi, India President: Dr Eddie P. Bharucha; Secretary-General: Prof. Jagjit Chopra
15th 1993 Vancouver, Canada President: Dr Henry Barnett; Secretary-General: Dr Donald W. Paty
16th 1997 Buenos Aires, Argentina President: Dr Salomon Muchnik; Secretary: Dr Leonor Gold;
Treasurer: Dr Lorenzo Bauso Toselli;
Chairman of the Scientific Programme Committee: Dr Roberto Sicca
17th 2001 London, UK President: Prof. Ian MacDonald; Secretary: Prof. Christopher Kennard
18th 2005 Sydney, Australia President: Prof. William Carroll; Secretary-General: Prof. Geoffrey Donnan;
Chairman of the Scientific Program Committee: Prof. Sam Berkovic
19th 2009 Bangkok, Thailand

President: Dr Niphon Poungvarin; Chairman: Dr Kammant Phanthumchinda; 

Secretary-General: Dr Somsak Laptikultham; Treasurer: Dr Somchai Towanabut

20th 2011 Marrakesh, Morocco

President: Prof. Mostafa El Alaoui Faris; 1st Vice-President: Dr Chafiq Hicham;
2nd Vice-President: Dr Mohamed Yahyaoui; Secretary: Dr Maria Benabdeljil

21st 2013 Vienna, Austria President: Prof. Eduard Auff

22nd

2015 Santiago, Chile President: Prof. Renato Verdugo
23rd 2017 Kyoto, Japan President: Prof. Hidehiro Mizusawa
24th 2019 Dubai, UAE President: Dr Suhail Abdulla Mohammed Al Rukn
25th 2021 Rome, Italy President: Prof. Antonio Federico
26th 2023 Montreal, Canada President: Dr Guy Rouleau
27th 2025 Seoul, South Korea President: Prof. Beomseok Jeon
28th 2027 Cape Town, South Africa President: Dr Patty Francis; President-elect Dr Lawrence Tucker