IPM SL hosts World HR Congress 2020 in Colombo

IPM Sri Lanka, the nation’s leader in human resource management, has been awarded the honour of hosting the world’s largest HR conclave “The World HR Congress 2020” in Sri Lanka in the year 2020. Reflecting its international origins and concerns, this prestigious People Management conference is held every two years in different regions of the world under the auspices of The World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA) which is headquartered in Virginia, USA. 

The World Congress enables HR professionals to build a global community of peers, to discuss new developments in HRM, and to network with colleagues from around the world who face similar complex challenges in human resource management. Reflecting its international origins and concerns, the meeting location moves among member countries of the WFPMA. The World Congress has been held since 1986 in twelve different countries.

An intensive competitive bidding and evaluation process was held in Hong Kong during the annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Federation of People Management Associations (APFHRM) which is a constituent member of the WFPMA. IPM Sri Lanka competing against other bidding countries in the Asia Pacific region including Australia where the World HR Congress was held successfully on two previous occasions, the Philippines and Thailand, was voted as the successful bidder to host the prestigious mega HR event in Sri Lanka in the year 2020. 

IPM Sri Lanka President Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri received the official proclamation from Peter Wilson-Chairman, WFPMA that the next World HR Congress in 2020 will be held in Sri Lanka at the World HR Congress 2018 held from 17-20 June in Chicago, Illinois in USA. 

Greeting a packed audience with the traditional Sri Lankan greeting “Ayubowan”, Prof. Dharmasiri expressed his gratitude and pleasure on behalf of IPM Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka as a country to be afforded the honour and privilege to host the World HR Congress in 2020. 

“South Asia is a region which holds 1/5th of the world’s population, and it is apt that the World Congress is held in such a populous region to deliberate the issues and concerns of relating to people management,” said Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri while accepting the proclamation. 

“IPM Sri Lanka is delighted to host the World HR Congress 2020 in Sri Lanka, the Wonder of Asia. My team and I will leave no stone unturned to provide the delegates attending the Congress a delightful, authentic and distinctly different experience. In addition to the deliberations on people management, we will provide opportunities to explore the unique culture and natural beauty of Sri Lanka,” he added.    

APFHRM is the umbrella organisation representing country level people management associations in the Asia Pacific region of which IPM Sri Lanka is a vibrant and active member having held the role of President in the past and currently occupying a Vice President role. APFHRM is a member of the WFPMA. 

IPM Sri Lanka keeps pace with new trends and concepts in HR by engaging continuously with the business community to share experiences, thoughts and insights in order to enrich and enhance the HR profession. It actively encourages and promotes members’ participation at international conferences and forums to provide exposure, build networks, and conduct research into areas of interest to the HR profession in Sri Lanka. IPM was founded in 1959 and was subsequently incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1976. IPM is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Human Resource Management and also to the World Federation of People Management Associations. IPM, being a professional institute is also a constituent member of the Organization of Professional Associations [OPA] Sri Lanka. Currently, IPM comprises of over 1,200 Professional Members who serve in both public and private organisations.