Trans Canada Trail to Host Largest World Trails Conference in History
Global trails sector set to gather in Ottawa from Sept. 30 – Oct. 3
Ottawa – Later this month Trans Canada Trail and the World Trails Network will play host to an unparalleled gathering of trail experts and enthusiasts from all over the world.
The 2024 World Trails Conference will be taking place in Ottawa from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3. With more than 400 delegates from 30+ countries expected to attend, this will mark the largest conference in the event’s history.
This edition of the biennial conference for the global trail sector will also be the first to be held in North America.
“We are thrilled with the level of interest and excitement around this year’s World Trails Conference,” says Mathieu Roy, Chief Executive Officer of Trans Canada Trail. “The conference will be a fantastic opportunity for trail lovers from all over the world to exchange ideas and learn from one another. It will also put Canada’s natural beauty front and centre for an international audience.”
The World Trails Conference is a global forum where representatives from trails around the world come together to learn, connect and shape the future of trail experiences around the world. Hosted every two years in a different country, previous hosts include Skiathos, Greece; Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Tottori, Japan; and Jeju Island, Korea.
This year’s edition will feature more than 100 speakers from around the globe presenting on the conference theme, “Connection to people, places and the planet.” Keynote speakers will include award-winning filmmaker and director of 500 Days in the Wild Dianne Whelan, renowned Canadian conservationist Harvey Locke and EUROPARC Executive Director Carol Ritchie.
“The World Trails Conference is a vital platform for fostering dialogue, forging meaningful networks and sharing knowledge that will shape the future of the global trail sector,” says Jackie Randle, International Chair of the World Trails Network (WTN). “The theme of this year’s conference, and the impressive list of speakers we have assembled, will explore the profound bonds that link humanity to the natural world and help attendees develop a new understanding of how our trails impact the environment, communities and each other.”
The conference opens Monday, Sept. 30 with experiential workshops that take participants out onto local trails in the National Capital Region followed by an opening ceremony. The remaining days feature a full schedule of breakout sessions and keynotes, as well as the Trails of the World Dinner and Keynote at the Canadian Museum of History on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
The 2024 World Trails Conference is supported by Parks Canada.
Media contact:
Justin Fauteux, Manager, Media and Public Relations
Trans Canada Trail
jfauteux@tctrail.ca
About Trans Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail is the longest multi-use trail system in the world and it is always growing. It reaches every province and territory, and connects all three of Canada’s coastlines. Each section of the Trans Canada Trail is managed locally and supports different activities and community needs.
Trans Canada Trail is the organization that advocates for, stewards and champions Canada’s nationwide trail system. It is a registered charity that receives funding from the Government of Canada (through Parks Canada), various provincial and municipal governments, and generous donors.
About the World Trails Network
Founded in 2012, the World Trails Network is the largest globally representative and dedicated trails non-profit organization of its kind, consisting of trail organizations and professional trail experts, working collaboratively for the enhancement and betterment of trails around the world. worldtrailsnetwork.org
