The global social work community will convene in Paris, France, for the 2028 Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD 2028). This landmark event, hosted by UNAFORIS (the National Union of Actors in Training and Research in Social Intervention), will mark the centenary of the social work profession, celebrating one hundred years of advancing social justice, human rights, and sustainable development.
The centenary conference will provide an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the evolution of social work as a global force for transformative change. It will also renew the shared vision and enduring partnership of the three international organisations — the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) — that together champion professional education, social policy innovation, and practice rooted in human dignity and solidarity.
At the heart of this alliance is a shared commitment to the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development, a common framework for advancing social justice, human rights, and sustainable wellbeing. The Agenda also upholds the principles of the People’s Charter for an Eco-Social World, emphasizing equality, sustainability, and shared responsibility for one another and the planet. Building upon these shared foundations, the 2028 Centenary Conference will explore how social workers, educators, and policymakers can co-create inclusive and sustainable systems that enable all people to live with dignity, confidence, and peace.
Marcel Jaeger, President of UNAFORIS, the host association, declared:
“It is an honour for France to have been invited to host this celebration. It is only natural for UNAFORIS to stand alongside its partners. This event provides an opportunity to reflect on the profound transformations currently reshaping social work in a globalised and uncertain world, marked by numerous tensions and conflicts.
It is also a call to open space and time for utopia — a strong invitation to reaffirm ethics, commitment, and critical thinking in social work, and to defend a vision of social work that understands the world’s changes without renouncing its fundamental values: justice, solidarity, otherness, and human dignity.
Through our warm welcome, we wish to reaffirm our convictions and our commitment to the universal co-construction of a sustainable society. See you in Paris, 2028.”
Antoinette Lombard, IASSW President, added:
“Returning to Paris where social work began, is a landmark moment to celebrate our shared history. The centenary conference offers an inspiring opportunity to reflect on our collective academic and professional journey, to honour our roots, and to envision transformative social work education and research for the century ahead. It is a time to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of social justice and the interconnectedness of all humanity.”
Sergei Zelenev, President of ICSW, emphasised the significance of the occasion:
“Paris will be the stage where we celebrate the achievements of social development and renew our shared commitment to building integrated social policies that leave no one behind. This centenary is both a commemoration and a call to action — to create societies grounded in solidarity, participation, and equality, where every person can live with dignity and opportunity.”
Joachim Mumba, IFSW President, highlighted the profession’s global unity:
“This centenary reminds us that our existence is bound to one another and to the Earth that sustains us. Guided by the spirit of Ubuntu, we celebrate 100 years of a profession rooted in human relationships, solidarity, and care for our shared planet. As we gather in Paris, we honour our rich heritage and renew our collective commitment to co-create a just, compassionate, and sustainable future for all.”
More than a conference, the SWSD 2028 will be a global celebration of the profession’s heart and purpose, bringing together practitioners, educators, researchers, policymakers, and service users from around the world. The centenary gathering in Paris will honour the legacy of social work, research, social policy and social development while envisioning the next century of collective progress and transformative action.
Further details, including the conference theme, will be announced at the Kenya conference in June 2026.