Breaking barriers, bridging distance, advancing wound care: World Union of Wound Healing Societies Rio Brazil 2030 bid

Latin America is one of the fastest growing wound care markets in the world, with Brazil expected to see significant growth in the wound care space. We aim to pave the way for low- and middle-income countries to build a future for wound care, aligning the world together with sustainable practice and every voice heard. Rio Brazil 2030 will launch a new generous bursary scheme to be offered to those who need it, ensuring maximum participation. We intend to break not only geographical barriers, but also language barriers. Rio de Janeiro is a city committed to a sustainable and inclusive future. Located within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, sustainable practices are key and the city both inspires and encourages curiosity about environmental stewardship.

We are delighted to introduce our bid for the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) 2030 congress to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Recognising Brazil’s rich culture, diverse communities and vibrant natural beauty, 1.5 million people visit Rio annually and have an unforgettable experience. Rio is a safe city with stunning beaches, iconic landmarks and a vibrant atmosphere.

We have the full support of Visit Rio (a non-profit public utility entity), which will support participants with all aspects of their stay, both for work and pleasure. The event will be supported by Rio Prefectura (the Mayor of Rio), whose mission is to attract national and international congresses and other technical, scientific, cultural and sporting events.
We have also partnered with the Brazilian Tourist Board and supporting societies to ensure competitive costs and effective promotion that will also help the local economy and companies in the local tourism sector.

WUWHS has previously been held in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Australia - if our bid is successful, this would be the first WUWHS congress to be held in South America.

About SOBRATAFE
Leading this bid is the Sociedade Brasileira de Tratamento Avançado de Feridas (SOBRATAFE). With over 1,700 members, we are South America’s first and largest dedicated multidisciplinary wound care society. Since 2005, we have dedicated ourselves to the promotion and advancement of clinical knowledge, research and practices related to complex and chronic wound treatment, including burns and more recently also veterinary wound care.

We organise scientific events, including the bi-annual SGAWCm (Sobratafe Global Advanced Wound Care meeting), which brings together international experts and multidisciplinary professionals to discuss the latest innovations in wound care. In addition to this, we offer professional training and workshops, encourage multidisciplinary collaboration, and are vocal advocates for evidence-based wound care practice.

We held our first small international symposia in 2011; since then, we have grown to deliver impactful large-scale in-person events, putting Brazil on the map when it comes to wound care. Our latest meeting attracted 2,200 participants from over 25 countries worldwide and was translated into English for our Latin American, North American, African, Oceanian and European guests. We have a proven track record of reach and influence, not only outside of Brazil, but also in South America and across the world. In addition to this, we have delivered exceptional, fully translated events online (English, Spanish and Portuguese), coordinating hundreds of speakers over 30 time zones.

As our society has grown and continues to grow, we have collaborated with a number of organisations including the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery, the Brazilian Foot and Ankle Society and the three Brazilian Nursing Societies: Sobest, Sobenfee and Sobende. In addition, we have worked with the Brazilian Society of Hyperbaric Medicine and those responsible for diabetic limb salvage, who have given courses and lectures at several of our meetings. We are also working with our friends in Chile (Asociacion Cientifica Chilena Estomas Heridas Continencia); Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Mexico. We also have the support of Silahue, Comlhei, and Federacion Iberolatinoamericana de Quemados.

About OmniaMed Communications
Partnering in this bid are OmniaMed Communications (OMC), global leader in medical events and publishing. OMC is known in wound care for publishing not only Global Wound Care Journal, but also Wounds International, Wounds UK, Wounds APAC, Journal of Lymphoedema and The Diabetic Foot Journal. Additionally, OMC produce GP Notebook, the most-visited digital resources for general practitioners.

It has a long history in producing events, such as the Wounds UK conference, and has been involved in publishing documents on behalf of WUWHS for many years. 
With strong and innovative digital capabilities, OMC will be helping to elevate the scope and reach of WUWHS and create longevity through digital and traditional publishing channels.

Global support and collaboration
Our bid comes with the full support of SOBEST (Brazilian Society of Stomatherapy), SOBENDE (Brazilian Society of Nursing and Dermatology) and SoBENFeE (Brazilian Society of Nursing and Aesthetics). Additionally, we will be working with societies and clinicians worldwide to ensure a truly global programme.

We will provide the programme in a multilingual format, allowing accessibility and collaboration to as many of our global colleagues as possible.

Empowering low- and middle-income countries
Our goals are to inspire, engage and empower the next generation of wound care professionals, helping everyone play their part in shaping the future of wound healing science and patient care, breaking geographical and language barriers. Brazil is a linguistically highly diverse country. Alongside official Brazilian Portuguese, we have around 20 immigrant languages actively spoken, including Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese and Pomeranian.

To support this vision, the congress will offer more than 2,400 bursaries in 2030 aimed at driving attendance for those from low-income countries, ensuring global participation and fostering a truly global community of emerging leaders. The next generation of leaders will be invited to submit applications for bursaries explaining their motivation for attending, which will be reviewed by the Educational Committee. Successful applicants will receive funding that covers registration and accommodation.

Specialised programmes for wound care nurses, paramedics and professionals from low- and middle-income countries will be available, ensuring targeted support and inclusivity to create a multi-layered learning and mentorship ecosystem. We plan to offer structured and cutting-edge academic content across all areas of wound care with postgraduate courses, state-of-the-art lectures, clinical symposia, working party reports, keynote lectures, free paper and poster presentations.

A new educational hub
The congress will be complemented by our innovative digital platform for the WUWHS, offering resources and connectivity to professionals worldwide. Participants will also have access to a global member database, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

There will be hands-on workshops to build practical skills in advanced wound management and emerging technologies. Interactive panel discussions and Q&A sessions will be held, allowing participants to actively contribute, ask questions and share experiences.
Digital learning resources and on-demand content will be available, enabling continuous education beyond the congress and supporting diverse learning styles. Additionally, there will be satellite symposia and meet-the-experts sessions, providing additional opportunities for focused learning and direct engagement with international experts.

Digital platform
Our bid will also support on-demand access via a new digital hub to ensure those unable to attend in person will have the full experience online. We have done this before with great success.

In 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) supported the SGAWCm to pivot rapidly to online-only. With more than 200 speakers booked, half of them international, we were able to deliver an innovative, fully connected platform with real-time discussions, respecting the time zones of the 30 participating countries. The event was translated and subtitled into three languages (Portuguese, Spanish and English), with the English-speaking countries positively reporting that they were able to interact, understand and discuss with the Latin American speakers, thanks to a lack of barriers.

As a society, our goal has always been for a more inclusive tomorrow in advanced wound care. Our bid strives to build on our learnings and recent developments in technology to make a truly immersive experience for all participants, no matter their language, location or economic background. 

With our bid, we welcome the opportunity to learn, teach, exchange knowledge and expand our large family of wound care professionals with the help of colleagues all around the globe, in several languages. It is imperative that we maintain a strong link with developed countries, which usually start to use new technologies earlier, and encourage us as professionals to continuously learn and grow.

Accessible for all
We are committed to inclusivity, ensuring that every participant can fully engage regardless of language, hearing or visual ability. The congress will offer real-time translations (English, Portuguese and Spanish) and multilingual support, live captioning and sign language interpreters, and visual aids and accessible presentation materials.

The convention centre (Riocentro, see below for more information) welcomes wheelchair users and those with physical disabilities. The entire venue is designed with accessibility in mind, with ramps, accessible restrooms and convenient entry points for guests with mobility needs.

Digital resources, including webinars, learning modules and podcasts, will be designed with screen-reader compatibility and adjustable formats. These measures, combined with accessible face-to-face events, aim to remove barriers to learning and participation, fostering a truly global and equitable wound care community.

Sustainability
The congress will feature specialised sessions on emergency care, remote and distance care, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, highlighting strategies from diverse clinical environments.

As part of Brazil’s commitment to sustainability, the event will promote carbon offsetting to help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel and event operations.

 Attendees may be invited to voluntarily offset the carbon impact of their travel by contributing a small optional amount during the registration process.
The event will minimise its environmental footprint with reduced printing costs using a conference app, which will also encourage collective responsibility for sustainable meeting practices.

About Brazil and Rio
Brazil is a country with an extraordinary ecological and natural environment, well-known for its splendid beauty, the warmth of its people and renowned attractions such as Christ the Redeemer (one of the new seven wonders of the world), Sugar Loaf Mountain and Copacabana beach.

Rio de Janeiro is a unique city. Few places in the world harmoniously combine nature and a bustling city. In addition to a great metropolis, you will find stunning beaches, one of largest urban forests in the world, lagoons, waterfalls and a beautiful bay, all within one city. Expect sunny days and temperatures of 27ºC.

We are a visa-free country for more than 60 countries. Holders of a valid passport travelling for tourism, business, or artistic or sports activities are granted a stay of up to 90 days.
Rio has successfully hosted some of the biggest events in the world, including the FIFA World Cup (2014), the Olympic Games (2016) and the G20 Summit (2024). Rio will also host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027. 

In the medical world, Rio has led the way with the World Congress of Cardiology (2022), the Brazilian Epidemiology Congress (2024) and the International Orthodontics Conference (2025).

About the conference venue: Riocentro
One of the largest convention centres in Latin America, Riocentro is located in Barra da Tijuca, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro and has a wealth of experience holding international conferences.

Riocentro includes four air-conditioned pavilions and the Integrated Convention Centre. It also houses Rio’s largest amphitheatre with 3,400 seats and can host up to 10,000 people. Additionally, it includes a multifunctional seminar room for 4,500 people, removable acoustic partitions and parking for 7,000 vehicles.

Riocentro is fully equipped to host all our requirements for a truly state-of-the-art event and has TV studio facilities. The convention centre boasts a vast tropical garden with a lake and a river that flows through the grounds, adding a unique charm to the venue.

 Enhancing the visitor experience further, the entrance area features the largest covered street art exhibition in Latin America and a free art intervention display open to all visitors.
With its modern and versatile infrastructure, we are confident Riocentro can happily accommodate the WUWHS Congress 2030.

Accommodation
Rio offers a wide range of hotels, from the most famous international chains to excellent national hotels. The hotel industry, concentrated between the south, west and central zones of the city, is prepared to receive all types of guests – whether they visit for leisure, business or events.

All the facilities are easily accessible with international standard infrastructure. Besides the hotels, the city also offers hostels and budget accommodations. With over 25 5-star hotels and over 95 4-star hotels, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Welcoming the world
It will be a pleasure to welcome you to Brazil with open arms – like one of the great wonders of the modern world, our Christ the Redeemer statue, in Rio de Janeiro. We hope that each participant feels like a member of the WUWHS family. Yes, we are a family that seeks to make a difference, to help as many people as possible and to reach the most remote locations through all its members, always eager to lend a helping hand.

Hosting WUWHS for the first time in South America, we want everyone to feel at home, enjoy the stunning beauty of Rio de Janeiro – the city, the beaches, the mountains, the flora and fauna – and also learn and teach a lot, forming a true team of the best wound care professionals.

We’ll be waiting for you like a family awaits a loved one. Count on us! We’re counting on you! See you in Rio de Janeiro!

For further information about Brazil’s WUWHS bid, please visit: https://www.wuwhs2030.com/ or scan the QR code in the PDF.