The International Botanical Congress (IBC) is a major convention that brings together scientists from around the world to discuss new research in the plant sciences. The IBC is held once every six years. The Congresses are particularly notable in that they not only bring together scientists from many countries, but also from many disciplines within the broader research fields related to the plant sciences, including botany, mycology, ecology, horticulture, agriculture, and other related fields. The increasing knowledge about plants—their history, growth, uses, interactions with other organisms, and roles in the ecosystem—is becoming progressively important for the stability and sustainability of the human endeavor and, indeed, of all life on Earth.