As we continue to monitor the course of the pandemic and its immense impact upon global mass gatherings at a scale such as ours, the ICFP Secretariat, in coordination with the experts who constructed the World Health Organization’s Mass Gathering Guidelines, the ICFP Core Organizing Group, International Steering Committee, and National Steering Committee Secretariat has made the decision to further postpone the sixth ICFP, originally rescheduled for November 8-11, 2021 in Pattaya City, Thailand, to November 14-17, 2022. We are hopeful that this action will allow ample time for our delegates from around the world to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and ensure all those who are interested in attending the 2022 ICFP has the equal opportunity to do so.

The sexual and reproductive health community has the opportunity to play a central role in the dissemination of information about and the containment and mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. This became evident during the Not Without FP Forum where we learned innovative ways our community has collaborated to ensure family planning stays prioritized even amongst service delivery disruptions, changing landscapes, and increasingly limited resources. We remain committed to continuing this momentum through 2022 and beyond, and we look forward to working with you in the coming year.

The world certainly looks different now than it did when we selected Thailand as the host country for the 2021 ICFP, and I want to reiterate that we remain committed to ensuring this conference exceeds expectations.

We thank you for your understanding and unwavering commitment to family planning and reproductive health. We look forward to seeing you in Pattaya City, Thailand, November 14-17, 2022 for the sixth International Conference on Family Planning!