This international congress took place in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. More than 2000 delegates attended from around the world. South Africa was represented by more than 30 delegates who presented papers on various topics related to grassland and rangeland science. More than 1750 papers were presented under the main theme “Multifunctional Grassland and Rangeland in a changing World”.

The main theme was further split into three sub-themes:

• Grassland/Rangeland Resources and Ecology;
• Grassland/Rangeland Production Systems;
• Grassland/Rangeland People and Polices.

Hohhot (Huhehaote) was built in 1575 and means “Green City” in Mongolian. It is the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the regional centre of politics, economy, science, culture and education. It is generally believed to be one of the significant parts when one recollects the ancient Chinese civilization from the “Dayao Culture” which is assumed to have taken place 500,000 years ago.

Delegates and registered accompanying partners attended various functions including the Opening Ceremony on 29 June and a Congress Banquet on Friday 4 July. In order to get delegates accustomed to local culture, delegates attended the Mongolian Opera on 30 June. At this event, they were entertained by a Mongolian dancing group depicting Mongolia’s distinctive ethnic, social and cultural history in a spectacle of poised stage presentations.