Against the backdrop of the Spanish Grand Prix taking place in Barcelona this weekend, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was joined by Mayor of Cordoba José María Bellido Roche, Regional Minister for Industry, Energy and Mining of the Government of Andalusia Jorge Paradela, FIA Senate President and Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE) President Carmelo Sanz de Barros and FIA Vice President for Sport Europe and Real Federación Española de Automovilismo President Manuel Aviño to officially announce the City of Cordoba, the Region of Andalusia and RACE as hosts of the 2023 FIA Conference and Extraordinary General Assembly.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “I am delighted to bring our 2023 FIA Conference and Extraordinary General Assembly to Cordoba in Andalusia. Spain is a very important country for the FIA family thanks to its long-standing engagement with both motor sport and mobility. I would like to thank our hosts, the Real Automóvil Club de España, City of Cordoba and the Region of Andalusia as well as our other Spanish Clubs, the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo and the Reial Automòbil Club de Catalunya for welcoming us and helping to make this important event successful for our Members.”

Mayor of Cordoba José María Bellido Roche said: We are proud to welcome the international community of the FIA to Cordoba. It will give us a great opportunity to showcase our city’s amazing history, culture and unique hospitality to FIA Delegates from all over the world and show our will to be at the forefront of the evolutions in motor sport and mobility. I am certain that this event will offer those visiting a week to remember and have a lasting impact.”

Regional Minister for Industry, Energy and Mining of the Government of Andalusia Jorge Paradela said: “Hosting such an important international event is an honour for the Region of Andalusia. It allows us to share our passion for motor sport and mobility with FIA Delegates from across the globe and help drive change to make both safer and more sustainable in the future. I look forward to welcoming the FIA Delegates in our beautiful region of Andalusia for what I am sure will be a landmark event.” 

FIA Senate President and Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE) President Carmelo Sanz de Barros said: “The RACE is honoured to host the 2023 FIA Conference and Extraordinary General Assembly in Cordoba, Andalusia. I would like to thank the Members of the FIA and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for giving us that chance. This event is a key annual moment in our Federation’s life and the 2023 edition will be, I am convinced, a great forum to exchange experience and ignite new ideas in exceptional surroundings.”

A Rich Programme for Knowledge and Innovation

The FIA Conference is the year’s most significant forum for networking and engagement, bringing together hundreds of Delegates from FIA Member Organisations around the world for carefully curated sessions designed to facilitate innovative thinking, and to promote collaborative action to grow Clubs.

The 2023 Conference will take place at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos of Cordoba from 20-22 June and the FIA Extraordinary General Assembly will be hosted at the Centro de Exposiciones, Ferias y Convenciones of Cordoba on 22 June.

Focusing on “Accelerating Change: Member-Driven, Knowledge-Led Transformation”, the programme will give the floor to the FIA Senior Leadership Team, FIA Club experts and international keynote speakers and address strategic topics for the network such as innovation, digitalisation, development through learning, sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion. It will also look at the mobility industry's challenges and accessible motor sport.

Networking opportunities as well as motor sport and mobility activities will also be on the agenda. A highlight will be the “Beat the Champion” Bridgestone FIA ecoRally Cup challenge that will allow Delegates to compete at the wheel driving electric ecoRally cars on a loop around Cordoba to challenge the time of the 2022 ecoRally Champion Eneko Conde.

Furthermore, the week of the Conference will host several meetings including those of the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism and the World Motor Sport Council. Right after the closing of the Conference, the Centro de Exposiciones, Ferias y Convenciones of Cordoba will host an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly, the supreme decision-making body of the FIA.

The 2023 FIA Conference will be supported by Global Partner Magneti Marelli.