ISO Annual Meeting Opening Ceremony

ISO Annual Meeting Opening Ceremony

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The opening ceremony of the ISO Annual Meeting 2026 was held in Paris on Monday, September 28, 2026. The theme of the annual meeting was "Building trust in a changing world." As host, the French standardization organization AFNOR is organizing the event in its centenary year. A replay of the ceremony is available on the ISO website.

The ISO Annual Meeting Opening Ceremony was not just a formal welcome. In ISO's words, it was a moment of alignment, reflection, and looking forward. The session language was English; interpreters and captions were available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Journalist Sheuli Ghosh moderated the program. The official speaker list includes three keynote addresses. Sergio Mujica (ISO Secretary General) and Olivier Pera (AFNOR CEO/Director-General) already spoke at the morning press conference; the evening's stage featured primarily speaker-level messages.

ISO President Dr. Khaled Soufi welcomed the global standards community to Paris and clarified the theme of the week: trust is no longer assumed automatically—it must be built, proven, and maintained over time. His sentiment also emphasized that trust is ISO's core asset and the organization's contribution to the world. AFNOR President Guy Mougy welcomed on behalf of the host organization. His message was that trust grows when countries bring their knowledge and ambition to a common table. Eleonore Caroa, Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad, France, emphasized multilateral cooperation. She quoted: "Multilateralism is more needed than ever." In French, she said that some of ISO's emblematic standards are answers to global challenges that concern everyone.

The ceremony featured a "celebration of collaboration between cultures across borders," featuring theatrical and dance performances. Anastasia Vilanova's choreography and the artists' performances were superb. Contemporary dance, a powerful response to a changing world. The evening began with this, and Murmuration concluded. The 27 dancers moved in unison, and the audience was also involved in the performance, so that the entire hall moved as one unit.

The ISO/UNDP 53001 standard had been launched before this event. This was a memorable centenary event for AFNOR.

Regards,

Keshav Ram Singhal