The World Cotton Research Conference-8 (WCRC-8) will be held jointly with the Biennial Research Conference of the International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI) from October 7th to 11th, 2024, at the Hotel Intercontinental in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. WCRC-8, typically held once every four years in various cotton-growing countries, is scheduled for 2024, just two years after WCRC-7, to compensate for the time lost due to COVID-19. Previous conferences took place in Australia (1994), Greece (1998), South Africa (2003), USA (2007), India (2011), Brazil (2016), and Egypt (2022).

The WCRC serves as a premier global platform for researchers and experts to exchange the latest advancements in cotton research and development. The 5-day WCRC-8 program will feature the celebration of World Cotton Day on October 7th, 2024, followed by a 4-day technical program.

This includes invited plenary lectures and keynote talks by renowned experts in cotton production and textile sciences. Attendees will have the opportunity to present their research through oral and poster presentations, and private and public sector institutions can showcase their latest technologies and products.

WCRC-8 is jointly organized by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), the International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI), and the International Cotton Researchers Association (ICRA). ICAC, established in 1939 in Washington, DC, is an intergovernmental agency providing member governments with cotton-related information and policies. ICGI, founded in 2000, has been organizing biennial research conferences since its inception, with the first held in Montpellier, France, in 2002. ICRA, formed by ICAC in 2012, aims to promote research collaboration among cotton researchers worldwide.