Ottawa and ACWW celebrate successful conclusion of 31st Triennial World Conference following eight-year partnership

Ottawa Tourism and the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) are celebrating the successful completion of the 31st Triennial World Conference, which brought ACWW members from around the world to Canada’s capital following an eight-year relationship between the two organisations.

The partnership began in 2018, when Nick Newland of ACWW first met the Ottawa Tourism team at a networking event. What started as an initial conversation about shared values, international connection and the role of destinations in supporting meaningful association events, developed over the following years into a long-term collaboration that has culminated in one of ACWW’s most important global gatherings.

Hosted at The Westin Ottawa, the 2026 Triennial World Conference welcomed delegates for a week of governance, elections, resolutions, knowledge sharing and community connection. The programme also showcased Ottawa and the surrounding region through mid-conference tours, cultural experiences, local agricultural visits and a gala dinner at the Canadian Museum of History.

The event was particularly significant for both organisations because of the depth of partnership behind it. Alongside the Triennial World Conference itself, ACWW and Ottawa Tourism worked together on a series of smaller events and touchpoints in the years leading up to 2026, strengthening relationships between the association, the destination and local partners. This continuity helped ensure that the final event was not simply delivered in Ottawa, but shaped with Ottawa.

Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, said: “This has been far more than a conference win for Ottawa. It has been the result of an eight-year relationship built on trust, listening and a shared ambition to create something meaningful for ACWW’s members. From that first meeting in 2018 to the final delegate departing Ottawa, the partnership has grown at every stage. The smaller events and ongoing collaboration along the way meant we were not starting from scratch when the world conference arrived, we were building on years of understanding, care and shared purpose.”

“ACWW’s work speaks to issues that matter deeply, from the empowerment of rural women to the importance of community, representation and advocacy. Ottawa was proud to provide a platform for those conversations, while also connecting delegates with the people, places and experiences that make Canada’s capital such a powerful host destination. The success of this event demonstrates what can happen when a destination and an association commit to a long-term relationship rather than a single transaction.”

Founded in 1929, ACWW brings rural women and their organisations together across the world, supporting advocacy, policy development, grassroots projects and the empowerment of rural women in all their diversity.

Nick Newland, Advocacy Director & Chief Privacy Officer at ACWW, said: “When I first met the Ottawa team in 2018, none of us could have known exactly what the next eight years would bring. What was clear from the beginning, however, was that Ottawa understood ACWW, our members and the purpose behind our Triennial World Conference. That understanding has only deepened over time. The result was an event that felt considered, connected and rooted in the values of our organisation.”

“Delivering a global conference of this nature requires more than venue space and logistics. It requires a destination partner willing to work alongside the organiser over many years, to understand the audience, to help solve challenges and to keep the bigger impact in mind. Ottawa Tourism did that throughout the journey. The smaller events and conversations that took place in the lead-up to 2026 helped build confidence, familiarity and momentum, and that made a real difference when our members finally gathered in Ottawa.”

For Ottawa Tourism, the event highlighted the value of long-term association development, particularly for congresses and conferences where purpose, legacy and community engagement are central to success.

Crockatt concluded: “This event is a powerful example of what Ottawa does best. We bring people together in a capital city environment, connect them with relevant local expertise and communities, and support organisers in delivering events that matter beyond the meeting room. We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved with ACWW and grateful for the relationship that made it possible.”