The 21st World Congress of Accountants hosted by ICAI Commences its 4-day mega event. And it is a big success.

WCOA – Building Trust Enabling Sustainability 

For the first time in 118 years, the World Congress Of Accountants, hosted by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), is being held in Jio World Convention Center Mumbai, India.

It is hosted in partnership with The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global body for the accountancy profession.

Known as the ‘Olympics of the Accountancy Profession’ it is one of the most prestigious global events for professional accountants.

Considering the theme of The World Congress is “Building Trust Enabling Sustainability”  ICAI is making sure to keep it a Carbon-Neutral event.

Spanning 18^th to 21^st November, more than 150+ global thought leaders, including prominent figures in the accounting and finance profession are gracing this mega event. It is poised to set a gold standard for the future of the accounting profession.

The Grand Opening

The Grand Opening Ceremony commenced at 2 PM IST, 18^th November, welcoming its guests in Indian traditional style!

It saw a record-high number of attendees in its entire history. Over 6000 delegates from 150+ countries attended the convention physically. Around 3000 delegates attended virtually through the 3D-enabled platform arranged by ICAI.

ICAI deployed 3 Robots for the benefit of the Guests and gave them a technology-enabled unique experience. Truly a proud moment for India and the members of ICAI.

Artists presented a beautiful spectacle depicting dance forms from different states of India and enthralled the guests with their breathtaking performances.

The opening ceremony was bejeweled by chief guests:

Mr. Om Birla – Honourable Speaker of Lok Sabha, Parliament of India

Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman – Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India

CA. (Dr.) Debashis Mitra – President, ICAI

CA. Aniket S. Talati – Vice President, ICAI

Mr. Alan Johnson – Outgoing President, IFAC

CA. Prafulla P. Chhajed – Chairman, WCOA 2022 Executive Committee

Followed by the energetic dance performances giving the guests a traditional Indian welcome, the stage was set for the exchange of insightful ideas related to accounting, finance, and business.

The Guests of the Plenary Session were:

Atul Kumar Gupta Board Member, IFAC & Past President, ICAI

Mr. Alan Johnson Outgoing President, IFAC

Ms. Merran Kelsall President & Chairman, CPA Australia

Ms. Gabriela Figueiredo Dias Chair, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)

Ms. Julie Linn Teigland Managing Partner, Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, EY CA.

The discussion revolved around:

• Global practice and future trends
• Emerging avenues for the accountancy profession
• Economic Insights
• Global trends in Accounting, Auditing, Corporate Governance & Taxation.
• how accounting & finance professionals are changing the world for the better
• Global collaboration for inclusive growth

Conclusion

The congress is organized not just to gain insights from industry leaders on global mega-trends but to also put forth the message that the accountancy profession must act as the protector of public Interest and can be instrumental in enabling sustainable economies for the future.

It is a massive opportunity for networking with people from different countries with different points of view and ideas, learning, and exploring.

The World Congress of Accountants (WCOA) is the premier event for the accountancy profession. Since 1904 it has been a forum for thought leadership and the global exchange of views. It is an important point of connection for our professionals from across the world and many stakeholders.