#IWCA2023

International Women in Coffee Convention

October 16-22/2023

Speakers

IWCA Leadership Summit Speakers

Platinum partners

Gold partners

Silver Partners

Event partners

IWCA Members in Kind Partners

Meet your origin trip hosts

IWCA Convention Scolarships

We’re excited to share that the IWCA Convention is being held in Africa for the first time! We hope you make plans to join us for an incredible event that will include origin trips, engaging talks, cupping sessions, and more.

In the past, the cost of travel has prevented IWCA chapter leaders from attending the convention and missing out on opportunities to gain new professional skills and make valuable business connections. In response to this need, IWCA has established a scholarship fund aimed at raising $80,000 to help cover these expenses. To meet this goal, we need your help. The average cost for a member to travel to the convention is $2,500, but any amount contributed will be greatly appreciated and directly support our members.

We thank you in advance for your generosity and support of the IWCA Scholarship Fund. We look forward to seeing you in Africa!

Schedule

Event schedule

Click on the days to expand and view the schedule

Day 1

October 16

8:00 - 10:30 Official opening high level plenary of IWCA convention

10:30 - 11:30 Networking break - Experience Ethiopian coffee cultures

11:30 - 17:00 IWCA convention & leadership summit
19:00 - 22:30 Welcoming dinner reception - Dress code cultural, white tie, evening gown

Join us in this exceptional 1st day for exciting conversations from sector leaders locally and globally as they deliver their keynote speech during the plenary

Meet and greet women industry leaders from across the globe, engage with them and be a witness to the extraordinary work we do, driving the industry forward.

Enjoy the Coffee Culture & Foods while being entertained by the beautiful traditional musics of Ethiopia

Day 2

October 17

7:30 - 9:30 Session I - High level breakfast meeting in partnership with GIZ SUVASE project on gender & coffee - Experience & policy recommendations
09:30 – 10:30 Networking break - Experience Ethiopian coffee cultures
10:30 – 12:30 Session II - High Level Panel by EU-Desira Spanish Cooperation Project on Women, Coffee & Climate. This session will present the study report and policy brief “Assessment on the role of women and traditional values and aspects of coffee production and brewing ceremony”, conducted by WiCE. Subsequently, the “Women, Coffee and Climate” Forum for sharing the challenges and lessons learned among different partners from Ethiopia, Colombia and Honduras. Finally, the presentation of Ethiolatin Coffee Community of Practice.

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 16:30 Session - III High Level Panels on global industry topics

Day 3

October 18

08:00 - 17:00 EXPOSITION of coffees from over 25 producing countries

B2B, B2C and Bilateral meetings

Cupping sessions of coffees from IWCA members producers

19:30PM - 22:00PM Closing reception, Cocktail. Dress code: casual

Day 4 - 7

October 19-22

The origin trips & Addis city tour

Offering participants a unique opportunity to experience Ethiopian coffee producers and their life style; while sharing from the generations of wisdom in coffee cultivation, processing and the authentic coffee consumption cultures

For those staying in the Big City Addis Abeba, a special city tour, offering days packed with hiking at Entoto park, https://www.entoto-natural-park.org/, a walk in one of the most beautiful city parks, Unity Park, Sheger Park and the riverside Projects, the National Museum and many more. Registration will open soon

Traveler Note

COUNT DOWN TO ADDIS ABEBA!

Practical information to maximize your preparation to The International Women in Coffee Convention

Visa To Ethiopia

VISA PROCESS FOR ENTERING ETHIOPIA

All foreign travelers to Ethiopia must have a visa. You must first register and pay for the Conference. You are strongly encouraged to apply for your conference visa online rather than at the Embassy in your city of residence. The online process takes 5-7 working days.

Please carefully read the following steps:

Complete your registration at www.wicethiopia.org. Upon completion, the team will then send you the necessary documents to apply for your conference visa online which are: an invitation letter and an application letter and other required documents.

Conference visas are only valid for 30 days from the intended dates of arrival in Ethiopia.

The following passports are exempt from visa application: Kenya, Djibouti and Diplomatic.

If you have any questions, please email us at womenincoffee@flawlessevents.net

Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

Please proceed to immigration desks with your e-visa ready as print or as digital on your phone.
You will find banks in the terminal area where you can exchange your major foreign currency if you need to do so. All banks have the same exchange rate so feel free to use the bank at the airport if you need to.
Once you have passed immigration, make sure to pick up your luggage and exit the terminal. If you your hotel has agreed for terminal based pickup, look for agreed signage with your hotel.

Hotel booking

The Convention has negotiated preferred rates with Skylight and surrounding hotels. Please find the negotiated hotels on the website and follow provided instructions on booking directly with each hotel. Hotels are found on the website: www.wicethiopia.org.

If you are a sponsored traveler, please look out for a separate communication via email.

About shuttle

Don’t forget to arrange for your airport transfer service directly with the hotel you have booked. There is no central airport shuttle service.

Badge pickup schedule

The Conference is hosted at the Skylight Hotel. The area is known as “Bole.” In order to pick up your badge, please make sure to have your barcode which you will receive after completing your registration on the website. Specific badge pick up dates and times will be communicated closer to the event date.

Communication - mobile phones and connectivity

Your phone must be “unlocked” in order for it work in Addis Ababa. Make sure to check with your provider regarding roaming agreements, if you need to be in roaming mode in Ethiopia. Ethio telecom and Safaricom are the two providers in Ethiopia. You can buy local sim cards in the arrival terminal or around the city.

Weather in addis

September – November in Addis Ababa is sunny and warm, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 23 degree Celsius. With a sunny and dry weather in the forecast, we still encourage you to pack a jacket as the mornings and evenings in Addis tend to be a bit chilly and windy. The altitude in Addis Ababa is high, expect to experience light headedness. We recommend you constantly hydrate and rest when possible.

Electricity

Electric supply in Ethiopia is 220-240 volts, 50 cycles, AC-accessible via 13-amp, two-pin (European) socket.

Currency (Ethiopian birr)

Ethiopian currency is denominated in “birr”. The exchange rate fluctuates slightly daily.

Please make sure to ONLY exchange your international currency (USD, Euro, Pounds) at official banks and exchange centers. Do not use the unofficial street market, please.

You are advised to carry less than $3,000 upon entry to Ethiopia and only exchange limited amounts at a time as it is very difficult to convert your Birr back into USD.

As a growing city, many restaurants and hotels accept mainly VISA and MasterCard as form of payments. However, many of the cafes and smaller restaurants only accept cash. Please do check with the establishment if they accept card payments before you consume.

There are many ATMs around the city that accept VISA and MasterCard – all withdrawals are ONLY in Birr. Please be aware of your surrounding as you withdraw cash.

Safety

Ethiopia is known for its hospitality and welcoming citizens. Addis Ababa is fast becoming a metropolitan city, and with it, petty crimes are slowly growing. Therefore, we ask all of our guests to be vigilant, keep your valuables in your front pockets and keep the cute street kids who sell gums at arm’s length. Do not walk late at night – please use the taxis or call for your taxi using ride hailing apps.

While you are at the conference, please ensure that you:

Always wear your badge in a visible manner
Do not leave bags and parcels unattended, including phones, laptops and tablets – they will disappear, unfortunatley
Do not bring unauthorized persons into the Conference
Look after your valuable property
Check that you have all your documents and personal items before you leave conference halls and meeting rooms
Inform the event staff if you lose anything valuable

THE EVENT

About The Event

The Event

The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) Unites a global network of chapters and supports the work and growth of women in the international coffee community. Our vision is to be the leader of empowerment and equity for all women in coffee. We work with 33 Chapters and many more in the process of chapter formation. The event is held bi-annually and brings together the international chapter network. The event includes networking oppotunities from all over the coffee industry.

Theme – 20 Years of IWCA – Power of the Past, Force of the Future

This year is the 20th anniversary of IWCA. The Convention Has been held in different parts of the world mainly in Central and Southern Americas but NEVER in our Continent. We, the Women in Coffee of Ethiopia with our partners in the Private Sector, the Coffee & Tea Authority and our Development Partners will be hosting this global event for the 1st time in AFRICA. The event is expected to attract over 250 participants from all over the world with diverse portfolios in the global coffee scene.

Previous events

Past Events

October 16-22/2023